For more of the latest information on social media marketing, please visit our official blog page at http://blackboxsocialmedia.com/topics/blog/

2. Google’s
Guidelines On
Mobile SEO?

3. We are all aware that in the next
few years spending for mobile
marketing, including SEO, will
double.

4. We are moving to a world where
everything will be mobile. That’s
right, mobile. SEO also needs to
adjust to this trend if it wants to
survive. This is not just a note to
the SEO practitioners and experts
but also to the search engine
companies.

5. Google & mobile SEO
According to an article in
searchengineland.com, Google
has already taken a clear stance
on mobile SEO. Finally they spoke
of the guidelines and other
details on what should be the
ideal approach in doing it the
mobile way.

6. These are the ones that are on
top of Google’s list when it comes
to what an ideal site should be:

7. • sites should use responsive web
design
•sites that dynamically serve all of
devices in the same set of URLs,
however each URL should have
different HTML (and CSS)
depending on the type to whether
it is a desktop or a mobile device
•sites that have separate mobile
and standard desktop designs

8. Let’s explore these!

9. What is responsive design?
In this approach, CSS3 media
queries are used, which alters
how the pages appear on mobile
devices. So Google recommends
this because it makes it more
easy – one content, one URL, and
one HTML (that uses CSS media
queries).

10. How about the device-
specific HTML approach?
When you want to use this, it is
better to use the Vary HTTP
header in order to tell the search
engine that there is a change in
the CSS and content based on the
useragent.

11. This command is used to guide
the GoogleBot in order for it to
identify that there is a change in
the useragent. Thus, the bot can
identify which one is mobile and
which one is the standard
desktop site.

12. There are actually two sub –
approaches when using different
HTMLs:
using the same URL – HTTP Vary
Header for GoogleBot
Smartphone to crawl the site
using a different URL -
rel=alternate on the desktop
version & use a canonical on the
mobile version

13. To guide mobile sites developers
and SEOs, there is a developer
site allotted to discuss the issues
regarding this.

14. Why go mobile?
We also need to go back again
from the start and ask why
develop our mobile-site-
capabilities? Just imagine the
number of devices being sold
every year. Most of these are
mobile.

15. According to MarketingSherpa’s
2012 Search Marketing
Benchmark Report – SEO Edition,
in 2011, spending for mobile
advertising has surpassed that of
email and social media.

16. Furthermore by 2016, the total
amount being spent for mobile
marketing will reach $8.2 B.
Purchasing online is much more
easier and 47% bought stuff
online.
It looks like we are heading there
(or….already there).

17. One new report released by the
Interactive Advertising Bureau
states that ad revenue already hit
$8.4 B in the first three months of
2012. This is higher by 15 %
compared to the data from the
first quarter of 2011 – $7.3 B.

18. Practically-speaking, there is also
a proliferation of mobile devices-
the main reason why mobile SEO
is becoming more of a reality. The
phones and other mobile devices
make it possible.

19. One article in techcrunch.com
mentions that the total number
of mobile devices will exceed the
world’s population this year. It’s
based on the report released by
cisco.com, which also points out
to the drastic increase in data
usage.

20. It can help?
Not all agree with the potential
and current use of mobile devices
in marketing. According to a
study by
Strongmail entitled 2012
Marketing Trends, business
leaders can’t really agree on the
benefits of mobile marketing.

21. Most believe that it can help their
business by expanding their
customer base & build loyalty
(35%), expand their reach (29%),
and build customer awareness
(28%).

22. But 7% of the respondents
believe that mobile marketing
has no value in their campaign.

23. Closing thoughts
A few years from now, SEO for
mobile devices will be a trend. To
get ahead of the competition, it is
better to make the changes now
and optimize your mobile sites.

24. No wonder why more and more
companies are working their way
into the mobile marketing world,
other than advertising through
the standard channels and the
standard desktop sites.

25. Google has really something to
say in any of the changes in the
web. With regard to mobile web
sites, what ever the giant says
need to be taken into
account, seriously.