Mobile Devices Now Responsible for Most Searches
When you think of someone who is running a Google search — or using any other search engine — you probably think of someone sitting at a computer and typing on a keyboard. As a site designer, this is likely how you build your site, after all, and how you think of accessing it. Moreover, for millennials and older users, this is how people first experienced the internet. It was a collection of computers and you needed a computer to get online.
But the world has changed. Technology has changed. The internet is more powerful than ever and billions of web searches happen every single day. They just don’t happen the way you think.
The Rise of the Smartphone
Technically, studies have discovered that about six out of every 10 searches happen on a mobile device. This 60% includes devices like e-readers and tablets, but, in practicality, it mostly refers to smartphones. They are what really changed the game. In 2021, most people have a phone in arm’s reach at all times, and it’s essentially just a computer. This is how they run searches and access your site.
Why does this matter? For one thing, it shows why you must have a mobile site. There was a time when mobile sites were seen as extras, as a way of optimizing your site to bring in a bit more traffic. Now it’s a necessity. Statistically speaking, it’s probably more important to have a mobile site than a computer-based site.
Additionally, phones change the way that people search. They’re often on the go. They’re speaking, not typing. Voice search is incredibly popular. On a computer, someone may have typed “nearby restaurants.” You optimized your site for that simple phrase. On a phone, someone is more likely to use a longer phrase or even as a question like “where are some nearby Tai restaurants?” You’re going to get different search terms, and your SEO efforts must reflect this.
Optimizing for Mobile Users
This is just one more reason why you can’t set up SEO and forget about it. It is always changing. It will change again in the future. You must be prepared and you must know how to optimize for the right audience. Here at Content Customs, we can help every step of the way. Call now!
