The future of web design is mobile. In order to achieve the best SEO value, it is important to have one version of the website which is accessible to searchers and ranks well regardless of the device they are using. In order to do this, web developers should always use responsive design techniques that automatically scale websites to the appropriate dimensions and text sizes for desktops, smartphones, and tablets.
By preventing the need for mobile-friendly versions of your site, SEO value will increase across the board as your website will continue to rank well in mobile searches. It is also easier to develop and maintain a responsive design rather than having multiple versions of a website that must be kept up to date individually.
Design
Be sure to keep the design and UX as beautiful, usable, and highly visual as possible without bogging down load times. Poor design is increasingly less tolerable as the average user becomes more tech-savvy. Use intuitive navigation and test that it works properly across all devices: you do not want to make your potential customers feel dumb or become frustrated with your website.
Keywords
Mobile search results are greatly impacted by geo-specific parameters so be sure to add local SEO keywords and pointers to your site to improve rankings for people on the go. Shorter keywords are also becoming more important as users do not want to type more than they have to on their small, touchscreen keys. In fact, many users will simply tap on one of Google’s suggested searches rather than typing out their full query so be sure to do some research on what those are for your keywords.
Put the User First
Always put the user first by designing and optimizing your site to give them the best possible experience. Avoid distractions and popups which tend to annoy searchers looking for a fast answer to their query. Invite user to sign up for your newsletter with obvious calls to action but never put getting their email address ahead of providing the answer they seek.
Videos that auto-play on load can often trigger an immediate pogo-sticking reaction as users who are particularly averse to noise pollution bounce back off your page to avoid the intrusive audio or video. Instead, include multimedia information in an inviting but optional way and always provide a summary or description for those who cannot or choose not to watch a video at that time.
Segmentation
Segment your information into smaller pieces to improve understanding and readability for mobile users. Employ header tags and bullet points to break up large walls of text. Users have shorter attention spans than ever: add pagination or split long articles into a series to break down your content into easily digestible chunks. This will be easier for busy users to put aside and come back to when they have time and will encourage readers to return to your blog or website to read the next part.
