Conducting a Mobile SEO Audit for Better Mobile Search Ranking

Considering that practically everyone owns a smartphone these days, it’s not surprising that nearly half of all traffic on the Internet is traceable to mobile devices. Search engines like Google recognize this trend, so they prioritize mobile-friendly websites and rank them higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).

For small and medium business owners looking to bolster their search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, understanding how to conduct a mobile SEO audit can be a game-changer. Not only will it improve your site’s performance in the search results, but it will also help you capture more online traffic.

In this article, you will learn the importance of mobile optimization and get recommendations for mobile SEO tools to help ensure your website ranks strongly on mobile.

The power of mobile SEO

Mobile SEO makes your website more compatible with mobile devices like smartphones, tablets, and e-readers. This ensures it displays correctly, loads quickly, and is easily navigated on a mobile device. If your site is not optimized for mobile, you risk losing potential customers surfing the web on their phones.

A mobile SEO audit is critical to successful mobile optimization because it pinpoints areas where your site possibly falls short. This covers everything from layout, readability, and navigation to more technical aspects like structured data and mobile-first indexing.

Auditing your site’s mobile-friendliness

As with a conventional SEO audit, a mobile SEO audit involves specific steps and tools. Here’s how you can get started:

Begin with a mobile-friendly test

Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool has been retired since 2023, but you can still verify how your site performs on mobile at no cost through Lighthouse. Simply access your site on Google Chrome, right-click on the page, click Inspect, and then go to the Lighthouse tab.

From there, you can audit your site’s mobile performance and other factors, such as accessibility and SEO. You will receive a detailed report with suggestions for improvements, making Lighthouse a valuable tool in your SEO audit and mobile optimization efforts.

Check your site speed

How quickly your site loads greatly influences search ranking and user experience, especially on mobile. Studies show that mobile users are more inclined to leave a page if it does not load within three seconds.

You can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to evaluate your site’s speed. These tools provide a detailed breakdown of your site’s loading times, along with suggestions for speeding things up. Typical recommendations include optimizing images, reducing unnecessary code, and enabling browser caching.

Analyze mobile usability and navigation

For your site to be usable, it should have a layout that adjusts to the smaller screens on mobile devices. Users should be able to read text without zooming in, tap buttons easily, and move between pages smoothly. Your site’s various elements should also change between horizontal and vertical orientations without overlapping or becoming too small to see.

Additionally, pay close attention to your site’s navigation menu. A clean and straightforward menu fits smaller screens better, making it less disruptive to mobile users. On the other hand, a busy menu with unnecessary features and moving parts might frustrate users and cause them to bounce off your site.

Review your site’s layout and content

As part of your mobile SEO audit, check for elements that may be hard to read or understand on smaller screens. For example, large blocks of text on your homepage and blog posts may appear overwhelming when viewed through a smartphone. Break up your content using headings and bullet points to make it more readable.

Other elements to review are images and videos. They are valuable for engagement but can slow down your page loading times unless scaled correctly on mobile devices.

If you have calls to action, make sure they’re visible without users having to scroll down excessively.

Implement structured data for mobile

Structured data refers to code designed to help search engines understand your website better. You can use structured data to make your search listings more attractive to users. For example, you can add features like star ratings, event times, and other rich snippets visible on search results.

However, note that adding structured data is a bit more technical than the other steps in this list. You can use tools like Schema Markup Validator and Rich Results Test to ensure your site’s structured data is correctly implemented.

Use mobile SEO audit tools

Instead of performing the above steps manually, consider using dedicated SEO audit tools, such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Screaming Frog. They can help you audit mobile performance, usability, and various SEO factors, providing detailed reports and recommendations for improvement.

These tools can automate repetitive tasks and monitor changes over time, ensuring your SEO strategy remains relevant and effective. With their help, you can stay ahead of potential issues that can negatively impact your site’s search rankings.

Monitor your progress

After making changes to your site, your job isn’t done. You should continue to monitor its performance on mobile using tools like Google Analytics. The data produced can reveal whether your improvements are effective or need further adjustments.

Remember that, like general SEO, mobile SEO is an ongoing process. User expectations and search engine algorithms change, so regularly updating your site’s mobile optimization ensures it remains competitive.

A mobile SEO audit is essential for improving your site’s search engine ranking and delivering a great experience to your target audience. However, doing it regularly can become overwhelming, especially when you’re also running your business. This is why many small and medium business owners hire professional SEO companies.

An SEO agency has teams of SEO experts who can identify issues and implement fixes to keep your site ranking well. They can also monitor your site’s progress and adjust strategies as needed, freeing up your time to focus on delivering high-quality products and services to your customers.

Optimize your site for mobile today and stay ahead of the competition.