Although browsing trends are very important for businesses to consider when building a website, those that want to increase their online audience and boost sales will still turn to SEO (search engine optimisation) to achieve this organically.
Algorithm updates to give extra weight to mobile-friendly sites from Google and Bing have been rolled out, meaning that sites that have undergone the optimisation process will attain a better ranking that those still struggling to keep up with the times.
Mobile optimisation is about more than just making a site more flexible and adaptive. It is also about considering the SEO implications of mobile search and how this area is still undergoing significant changes.
Mobile optimisation is a delicate process and one that it may be worth turning to the professionals to achieve, with companies such as Expect Best giving businesses access to a Bournemouth web designer to make this possible.
Yahoo has become the latest search provider to adjust its mobile algorithms to place more weight on multimedia content, including images and embedded videos.
Does this mean that a media-rich mobile site is a better SEO tool than a text-heavy alternative, or is there still a place for all types of content in the modern era?
Compatibility Battle
Part of the problem with embracing the idea of creating a media-rich site to court users on smartphones and tablets, and appeasing search engines in the process, is that there are a lot of variables to consider.
Compatibility is not guaranteed across all devices and there are some media platforms that are common across desktop PCs but almost ubiquitously lacking support in the mobile space, with Flash being the biggest example.
Thinking about the types of media you embed is therefore important when designing a mobile site, although there are other options.
App Engagement
Apps can generate more conversions and engagement with consumers than mobile sites, with one trillion push notifications sent by branded services to smartphone users last year.
Compatibility is also less of an issue with apps, although developing multiple apps for different platforms may overstretch smaller firms.
Ultimately the multimedia experience afforded by modern mobile platforms and promoted by search engines cannot be ignored, but solid copy should still be at the core of a good website.
