It’s no secret that many people spend way too much time on their phones, but recent studies have found a lot of people are spending more time online than ever before. It’s not just the design of a website on a mobile device that differs from a desktop but also how search engines behave. This is because people tend to use their phones in different ways, for example by typing less and relying more on links when browsing. They’re available for both desktop and mobile devices and are thus subject to the same factors. For example, mobile SEO is impacted by where you are at the time, your screen size, what kind of device you’re using (e.g., iPhone or Android), etc. Knowing these differences is the key to higher rankings across devices and a more successful business.
Do you know the difference between desktop and mobile SEO?
There are a few different things to consider when optimizing your site for mobile. If you’re using a CMS, it’s usually not too hard to avoid these, but if you’re working with WordPress, then there’s a little more legwork involved.
A lot of different factors impact the search engine ranking on varying devices – from OS, to screen size, and more. This means that what you might rank number one for on your PC might not necessarily be the same ranking for your phone. Mobile SEO is all about ranking highly in Google search results on any mobile device.
But before we begin: it’s important to know what the difference is between desktop and mobile. These differences have a major effect on the search results that you get.
1. Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs)
Google’s SERP is different depending on whether you use a desktop or mobile device. The layout and design of the pages are very different when viewed on a smaller mobile phone screen. The main differences are the lack of sidebar navigation and scrollable menu items (although these may show at the top of your screen). When you search in the browser, anything that pops up on the right will be shown below or above the normal search results. As for pay-per-click listings, a smaller number of them will show up on the first page.
In addition, we’ve added a Knowledge Graph panel on mobile SERPs (seen at the top of your screen). This is essentially an answer to your question that you can just click through instead of having to click any links. You can also see things like places to go and landmarks here. Furthermore, Google will give you information about your local business without you needing to. This interactive content is lower down the page on mobile. It’s the rightmost part of your results on desktop and the furthest to the left on mobile.
2. Location
Most mobile devices nowadays have a very accurate tracking system. It uses location services which are more accurate than even on a desktop computer. Modern mobile devices – even if they don’t have GPS – provide search engines with enough info to establish location. One of the major reasons that mobile search results are much more unpredictable than desktop counterparts is that no two places have identical searches. If you search for something in Bangkok, you’re bound to get different results from if you search in New York City.
However, desktop searches are also affected by the location of your phone if you are logged into a Google account on both devices. Some experts believe that mobile searches have more weight in location info, which could affect results and locations. This is because, on mobile, you are more likely to get maps for restaurant results. This may also mean seeing different ads for certain fixed products like Google Adsense advertising, where advertisers can use location-based targeting.
3. Phone operating system
Results for mobile searches are automatically influenced by systems like the operating system. Search engines may show an app page based on this, so if Google thinks your query may have an app-oriented intent, you should see a “pack” of apps at the top of your results. It’s been found that keywords like “run tracker,” “family game,” or “image editor,” are more likely to rank apps. This is because they are linked with the kinds of apps people download more often. These packs are only available when they’re working with operating systems like Android or iOS. That’s because most apps won’t work with desktop devices.
4. Screen size
Google adapts search results to fit the device you’re using when you search. This means that the number of results shown per page may differ depending on what type of device it is. Ever since tablets are more popular than ever, Google has had to adjust its layouts for them as well.
Other aspects
Google’s new search capabilities are quite innovative and they’re paving the way for a more futuristic type of experience. They work pretty differently than how it is now and some of them are specifically designed to work on mobile devices. Google can provide some search results through augmented reality. With AR technologies, you gain access to information in real time just by pointing your device’s camera at it. For something like a Golden Retriever- if you had one in your camera viewfinder, Google will recognize what breed it is and let you know search results about it. Mobile SEO experts have predicted that this will be standard for cell phone cameras from now on.
