How to optimize your website for mobile traffic.
Why Is Mobile Optimization of Your Website So Important?
Do you know anyone without a smartphone? My aunt just upgraded to a smartphone, so my answer is now no. Today, almost everyone has a smartphone with them, constantly communicating and looking for information.
How much is the World Changing?
According to Google, mobile is changing the world! 77% of mobile searches occur at home or at work, places where desktop computers are likely to be present. I am guilty of this trend, I will have my laptop and tablet within reach, but still use my phone for many of my searches.
How Much Is the World Changing?
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Responsive design
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Embedding videos
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Use questions and answers within your content
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Make sure Google My Business is up to date
Why is a Responsive Design Important to Your Insurance Business?
Have you ever been surfing on your smartphone and landed on a website that isn’t mobile optimized? You may not be able to see the site in its entirety or maybe you have to pinch and stretch to get to the part of the site you want to see.
I have been looking for a puppy, a cute pug. When I go to the classified section of a large newspaper to look, the site isn’t mobile optimized. Is that still a thing? It is super frustrating as a consumer; in fact, I don’t even visit that site from my phone any longer.
Responsive design is so important that Google added it to their algorithm in 2015. Making it easy for your mobile visitors to get the information they are looking for, as well as, being able to complete common tasks is vitally important to your mobile visitors and to Google. In fact, if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, it will be dinged and possibly not even show up in mobile searches on Google.
Why Are Videos So Important to Mobile Search?
When using your smartphone for searching and researching, you come to realize that text isn’t always easy to read from your phone. This is where having videos comes in. The power of having videos on your landing pages is that you can explain the specific niche insurance, give calls to actions, build trust and promote your business, without your mobile visitor having to read from their phone. It makes it easy for the visitor – and isn’t that what it is all about?
We already know that videos are in a substantial growth pattern, check out the YouTube stats below. Mobile or desktop, videos are vitally important to your website.
Have You Ever Used Voice Search From Your Phone?
“OK, Google” and “Hey Siri” are now part of a mobile user's vocabulary. You even see it with “Alexa” the Amazon Echo home search engine, even if just from the TV commercials. Once your device is activated you ask the question that you want the answer to. These questions are a large part of mobile searches that you can easily optimize your website for.
By using questions as headlines then answering the question on your webpages or blog posts, you are able to show up more often in mobile searches. When creating content for your website, it is important to find out what the common questions are about specific insurance coverage – and then answer them. By providing valuable content it allows you the opportunity to build trust and helps you become the expert to the visitor. Remember content saves time because your visitors can find their answer on your website.
Bonus: Most of these questions will contain long-tail keywords, which makes it easier for your insurance office to be found in desktop searches too!
Why is Google My Business Most Important for Mobile Searches?
When searching from a mobile device, the Google Knowledge Panel will likely come up before an actual link to a website. Google’s Knowledge Panel is the result of Google My Business. From this panel, you are able to call, get directions, share, and visit a website, all with just a tap of your screen.
Google’s Knowledge Panel also shows the visitor images, Google Reviews, your business address, as well as a map to the location, and business hours. Google wants to make it easy for anyone using their search engine. If any of your information isn’t up to date it can cause a negative experience for your visitor or maybe a potential visitor.
How to Build Out Your Google My Business Listing
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Claim your business. If you have not already claimed it.
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Verify your business through Google. You can do this by phone or mail.
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Enter complete data on your Google My Business profile. Completing this information will help build trust with searchers.
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Add images. Customize your listing with images that showcase your business, especially your cover image. Make a great first impression!
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Always visit and verify your listing from your phone and computer. This gives you the opportunity to see what others see online.
Make sure to keep all of your information updated as your business changes – from moving to a change in hours, always keep Google in the loop.
The Google My Business Community, more than 50% of people searching are looking for information that is on the Google Knowledge Panel. That results in searchers taking action, with 4 in 10 people calling the business and 45% will actually visiting the business. This means that having the right phone number and a correct pin marker for your business on the map ensures you are not missing calls or sending people to the wrong office. If there’s bad data on your listing, claim and get it verified, and you have all the rights to edit and correct information.
According to research from Google, “businesses with complete listings are twice as likely to be considered reputable by customers.”
If you want to make sure that searchers have the right contact information for you, that they can find you on Google Maps, and that they’ll get in touch because of how you’ve showcased your business and built your reputation then Google My Business is essential for local mobile search success.
It’s Time to Optimize Your Website for Mobile Search
In the USA, 94% of people with smartphones search for local information on their phones, don’t be left behind!