How easy and user-friendly a site is on mobile devices, a ranking factor for SEO.
Why Mobile Usability Matters
Mobile usability is a crucial part of a modern SEO strategy because most of today’s search traffic comes from mobile devices. Google’s algorithms now use mobile-first indexing, which means that they primarily use the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking. A website with poor mobile usability is a direct signal that a website is a low-quality resource, which can lead to a lower ranking and a loss of organic traffic. A website with good mobile usability, on the other hand, is a clear signal that your website is a high-quality resource, which can lead to a higher ranking and a better user experience. It’s a key part of your technical SEO and a crucial element for your Core Web Vitals.
Across Different CMS Platforms
The management of mobile usability is a technical SEO strategy that can be applied to any CMS.
WordPress
Using a responsive theme and a range of plugins, WordPress users can enhance their mobile usability. A well-designed theme will adapt to the user’s screen size automatically. Additionally, you can use a plugin that will assist you with image optimization, content delivery network (CDN) use, and CSS and JavaScript minification.
Shopify
On Shopify, it is essential for a fast and seamless user experience. You can improve your mobile accessibility by optimizing your product images, using a CDN, and by using a theme that is optimized for performance.
Wix
Wix has a streamlined, user-friendly system, and you can create a mobile-friendly website by using the platform’s native tools. The platform’s simplicity encourages a clear and straightforward design, which is great for it.
Webflow
Webflow provides you with fine-grained control over the code and design of your website, making it ideal for an advanced mobile-friendly strategy. With its help, you can produce a flawlessly organized page that is optimized for a particular keyword or group of keywords.
Custom CMS
A custom CMS gives you the most control while also assuming the most responsibility. You can create a system that automatically tracks and analyzes your mobile-friendly performance, as well as providing data-driven insights to content creators.
Across Different Industries
The way you use mobile usability will depend on your industry and your goals.
E-commerce
E-commerce sites rely heavily on high-quality product images. A slow-loading product image can lead to a high bounce rate and a loss of sales. Optimizing your images is crucial for a low LCP.
Local Businesses
Local businesses need their key pages, like their homepage and contact page, to load as quickly as possible. A slow-loading page can lead to a high bounce rate and a loss of customers.
SaaS Companies
SaaS companies often use a lot of images or videos in their marketing materials. Optimizing these images and videos is crucial for a low LCP, which can improve their conversion rate.
Blogs
Blogs are often heavy with images and videos. Optimizing these images and videos is crucial for a low LCP, which can lead to a lower bounce rate and a higher time on site.
Do’s and Don’ts
Do’s
- Do use a responsive design. A responsive design will automatically adjust to the size of a user’s screen.
- Do use a fast-loading website. A fast-loading website is a major part of a good user experience.
- Do use a tool to check for mobile accessibility issues. The Mobile-Friendly Test in Google Search Console is a great tool for this.
Don’ts
- Don’t use a full-screen interstitial on mobile. This is a major source of user frustration and can lead to a Google penalty.
- Don’t use a lot of pop-ups on mobile. Pop-ups can be a major source of user frustration.
- Don’t use a website that is not mobile-friendly. A website that is not mobile-friendly is a direct signal that a website is a low-quality resource.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Failing to use a responsive design: This is the most common mistake. It can lead to a lower ranking and a loss of organic traffic.
- Ignoring the importance of a fast-loading website: A slow-loading website is a major source of user frustration.
- Failing to check for mobile usability issues: This is a basic but critical step. You cannot improve what you do not measure.
FAQs
How does mobile usability affect my SEO?
It is a direct ranking factor. A website with poor mobile usability can lead to a lower ranking, a higher bounce rate, and a lower click-through rate.
What is a good mobile accessibility score?
A good mobile accessibility score is a website that is easy to read, navigate, and interact with on a mobile device. You can check your website’s mobile accessibility by using the Mobile-Friendly Test in Google Search Console.
What is the difference between mobile usability and mobile page speed?
It is the quality of a website’s user experience on a mobile device. Mobile page speed is the time it takes for a website to load on a mobile device. A website can have a fast mobile page speed but poor mobile usability.
What is “mobile-first indexing”?
Mobile-first indexing is a process by which Google primarily uses the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking. It is a major reason why mobile usability is so important today.
Can a website with poor mobile usability still rank?
A website with poor mobile usability can still rank, but it can be difficult. A website with poor mobile usability is a direct signal that a website is a low-quality resource, which can lead to a lower ranking and a loss of organic traffic.
