Ditch the Desktop Mobile Rankings Are Through the Roof

by Chris Reid Search engines are still the first destination for most consumers looking for information, products, services, or entertainment. For businesses, getting higher rankings on search engine results pages is key to reaching new customers. While search engine optimization is important for both desktop and mobile, there are clear differences in search results depending on which device the searcher is using. A recent study from seoClarity has highlighted the difference, showing how mobile search behavior affects click-through rates (CTR). The Rise of Mobile The rapid increase in mobile usage over the past few years has resulted in more and more businesses switching to responsive website designs to improve the experience for tablet and smartphone users. In 2013, Google announced they would start demoting sites that weren’t mobile-friendly and reward mobile-friendly sites with a ranking boost. Recently, Google has even added a â€Å"mobile-friendly† label to mobile search results to show which sites are optimized for smartphones. The Study Looking at over two billion impressions from Google Webmaster Tools’ data over 90 days, the seoClarity study is the largest CTR study of its kind. Most other studies have focused on either mobile or desktop results, not comparing the two side-by-side. The study gives SEO strategists and marketers new insights into consumer behavior and demonstrates the power of ranking number one in mobile search results pages. Ultimately, the study shows that if you don’t rank in the number one position in mobile search engine results, the click through rate drops significantly. In fact, the title of the study says it all: â€Å"If you don’t rank first on mobile you might as well be on the second page.† The Details In mobile search results, the data shows a sudden CTR drop from position one at 27.7 percent to position two at 9.2 percent. There’s then a steady fall to a 2.3 percent CTR at position nine. In comparison, the CTR drop on desktop search results from position one to two is much less dramatic: 19.3 percent to 11.4 percent. In both cases, position number five had around one-fifth less clicks than position one. However, getting the top organic spot on mobile gives you a much higher CTR (almost 28 percent), compared to desktops (19 percent). What This Means for Your Business The report shows how important marketing for mobile devices has become. Consumers that use mobile search are less likely to scan the entire page of search results. As they’re more likely to be on the move, around one in four people click on the top link. If you’re a business trying to increase brand awareness and drive traffic, this shows the importance of mobile SEO from a marketing standpoint. Basically, the higher your position in search results, the more traffic you’ll get, but there’s a significant advantage for the top search results on mobile. So how do you improve your chances of ranking well in mobile searches? Use the following mobile optimization strategies: . Optimize your mobile site load time. (Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool for help) . Have a minimalist website design with clear navigation buttons . Include unique features for mobile users, such as barcode scanning and a click-to-call option . Avoid using Flash software . Use larger text . Use a responsive website design that adjusts to every screen size . Place links and buttons far enough apart to enable easy tapping . Publish original content that boosts SEO and search engine rankings What Next? The good news is that seoClarity has data that can be compared and analyzed from year to year, so in the near future they may be releasing a more comprehensive report. This also leaves potential for yearly reports soon after. While the seoClarity study has some interesting data that can be used and interpreted in different ways, it’s also important to remember that the results may not be the same for every industry. Nevertheless, the report shows how your business could benefit from mobile optimization and a skilled SEO content writer. Why not use the Mobile Usability feature in Google’s Webmaster Tools to see how your website performs on mobile?