In the modern digital age, more and more people are browsing the internet using their mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. A large number of people still browse online using their desktop, however Google now gives websites that are mobile friendly better ranking than others. So, does mobile optimisation affect SEO? Can a site’s mobile performance affect the site’s ranking?
Yes, optimising a website for mobile traffic does affect SEO. Google introduced ‘mobile-first indexing’ in 2018, which signified a shift in SEO to prioritise mobile friendly websites. It is now a necessity that businesses carry out mobile optimisation to ensure that their website remains competitive on a search engine’s results page. Mobile optimisation improves user experience, reduces load times and increases mobile traffic, all of which Google rewards websites for.
Keep reading to find out more about mobile optimisation and how it affects SEO, and also how poor mobile optimisation can affect a website’s ranking.
Fifteen years ago, mobile devices were not even a consideration for web developers. Flash forward to the current day, and there is an ever-growing number of people that are using mobile devices – including tablets – to surf the net. Web developers and SEO professionals alike now appreciate that optimising a website for mobile users is no longer an advantage, but a necessity.
Google’s introduction of ‘mobile-first indexing’ only emphasises this shift. Mobile-first indexing simply means that Google will crawl a website as though it were browsing on a mobile device, and will read content as the average mobile user would. Therefore if a website is not optimised for mobile users, Google will recognise this and the website may not rank as highly as others. Mobile optimisation involves a series of methods to ensure that a website is mobile friendly.
Mobile optimisation is carried out to ensure that a website is as mobile friendly as possible, with the overall aim of improving a website’s ranking. For example, by improving user experience, the engagement rate of a website should increase. This tells Google that a website is providing value to its users.
Similarly, by improving site speed, mobile users are less likely to leave the website they are trying to load in favour of a quicker one. According to Google’s own research, 53% of users will abandon a page if it takes longer than three seconds to load. Considering these goals and performing mobile optimisation can result in increased organic traffic and improved rankings.
So, we know what the overall aim of mobile optimisation is. We also know that in 2023, 59.25 million mobile internet users were recorded. Mobile friendly websites are more important now than ever before. But how does a web crawler recognise a website with poor mobile optimisation?
As mentioned above, mobile users are prone to changing websites if a page takes too long to load. A Google crawler will identify websites that take too long to load, and will treat them as having poor site speed. By minimising redirects and requests, resizing or compressing images, using native web technology and checking the hosting solution, site speed can be improved.
To find out more about the importance of site speed and how to check it, take a look at our detailed blog.
There can be content missing between a desktop and mobile site, which is a red flag for search crawlers. The mobile and desktop versions of a website should show the same content. Checking a website’s robots.txt file will show whether any of the essential elements are disallowed. It is also vital that any multimedia content is playable, and consider whether this content could be affecting site speed.
To find out more about the importance of robots.txt and how to check it, take a look at our detailed blog.
A website that is not using structured data – such as Schema – is missing out on a critical driver of organic CTR. Often providing rich snippets that receive high engagement rates from users, structured data also provides Google with more information that makes it easier to crawl a website.
To find out more about structured data, take a look at our detailed blog.
Interstitials are the pop-up advertisements that can be intrusive. If these pop-ups are preventing a user from navigating the site easily or impacting the Cumulative Layout Shift, Google will recognise this. Some interstitials will not affect ranking, such as those that are legally necessary like age verification and cookie usage pop-ups.
A significant indicator of a website that has not been properly optimised for mobile users is the redirects that are in place. For example, if a mobile user is taken to the desktop version of a webpage and is not redirected to the mobile version, this will negatively impact the user’s experience. The easiest way to avoid issues like these is to make sure a website is responsive as opposed to having separate domains for mobile and desktop. Furthermore, any time when a mobile user receives a 404 error for a page that a desktop user would be able to see will also impact site rankings.
To find out more about redirects, take a look at our detailed blog.
A site must be mobile friendly to rank highly, as Google crawls in a mobile-first manner. This means that poor User Experience (UX) will impact your rankings. For example, by not specifying the correct viewport using a viewport meta tag, users may be presented with a page that does not fit their screen. Enabling user scaling and controlling a page’s basic dimensions can rectify this.
Our SEO services include a capability to correctly optimise your website for mobile users, and give your site a boost in the rankings. Contact us today to find out more about our available SEO services, and see how we can help to enhance your digital presence.
Senior SEO Executive
Founder
Our founder, Will Hitchmough, worked at a number of high profile Sheffield Digital Agencies before founding Wildcat Digital in 2018. He brings an extensive knowledge of all things related to SEO, PPC and Paid Social, as well as an expert knowledge of digital strategy.
Digital Marketing can be a minefield for many businesses, with many agencies ready to take your money without knowing how to deliver results. I founded Wildcat Digital to deliver digital success to businesses with smaller budgets in a transparent way.
Content Strategist Team Lead
With a degree in Marketing and a background in more traditional, offline marketing, Chloe joined Wildcat in 2021 after deciding to move into the digital marketing industry. She joined us as a Content Specialist and quickly moved up the ranks, becoming a Content Strategist and later an SEO Team Leader.
Outside of work, Chloe is an avid creative. If she’s not knitting, you’ll likely find her behind a sewing machine or in the kitchen trying (and often failing!) to make sourdough.
SEO Account Director
Paul has a strong background in SEO, having previously founded and ran a successful eCommerce business, as well as running a personal blog that achieves an average of 17K users per month. Paul’s knowledge of SEO is extensive, with a strong emphasis on client handling and technical SEO.
Outside of work, Paul enjoys spending time with his family and staying active with weight lifting and combat sports.
Head of Operations
Nadea joined Wildcat in 2021 and has since overhauled the way we work. She has a background in various administrative, operations and HR roles, which gave her the experience and skills needed to lead and organise a growing business.
Outside of work, Nadea loves anything that keeps her active, but she especially enjoys hiking, camping and mountain biking.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a background in sales, Molly is a natural Account Manager, brilliantly handling any issues that come her way. Having joined us as a Digital Marketing Executive, and working part-time through her final year of University, Molly is a shining example of how hard work pays off. She is now an SEO Account Manager with a particular interest in Content and Client Management.
In her spare time, Molly loves to get out in nature, hiking and exploring the Peak District. She also loves cooking and likes to unwind with a bit of yoga.
PPC Team Leader
Libby joined Wildcat in 2021 as our first PPC hire. With a degree in Digital Media Production, a Master’s in Digital Media Management and previous experience in Social Media Management, Libby hit the ground running and has since climbed the ranks to Senior PPC Account Manager and has a particular interest in the eCommerce sector.
Outside of work, Libby likes gaming, and cooking and likes to keep active by lifting weights.
SEO Account Manager
Jasmine joined Wildcat in 2022 with a strong background in SEO and Account Management. At the time, she was finishing up a Level 4 Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and has since worked her way up to SEO Account Manager. Jasmine excels at content writing and promotion, and particularly enjoys finding creative ways to join the dots on multi-channel campaigns.
In her spare time, Jasmine volunteers at a charity, helping combat loneliness & social isolation experienced by older neighbours. Outside of Wildcat, she owns a catering company, Savery Grazing, creating delicious grazing tables & platters for a range of events. She also loves skiing and exploring the Peak District.
Senior PPC Executive
Prior to joining Wildcat, Braden founded and ran his own Social Media Management agency where he gained valuable skills in growing brands’ online presence, which has since proven invaluable in his role at Wildcat.
Outside of work, Braden is a big football fan, regularly travelling to Pride Park to support Derby County. He also enjoys watching and playing snooker, hiking in the Peak District, and attending air and car shows.
Senior SEO Executive
After spending ten years managing businesses, restaurants, cafes and event spaces across Sheffield, Jon decided to change careers and joined Wildcat as an SEO Executive in 2022. He especially enjoys the client management side of the job, helping them to understand digital marketing and ways in which they can build their business’s presence online.
Outside of work, Jon likes to keep fit with running, badminton and football, and also loves music.
Senior SEO Executive
Rachel joined us as a graduate, having recently graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in English Literature. Since joining, Rachel has proven herself to be a Content Queen, and particularly enjoys getting stuck into projects that allow her to explore her creative side.
Outside of work, Rachel enjoys a wide range of hobbies, including rugby, singing, reading, and spending time with her family and three labradors.
Team Lead & Technical SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Computer Science and SEO experience dating back to 2017, Dariusz has a wide range of SEO skills and knowledge. His specialist knowledge of Technical SEO has firmly landed him the title of Wildcat’s Technical Wizard, and he has recently taken on the responsibility of Team Leader for the Panthers Team.
In his spare time, Dariusz loves hiking, experimenting and trying new coffees and loves learning new things. He is currently learning more about CRO and AI and how this could benefit our clients.
Senior SEO Account Manager
With a degree in Film and TV production, and a varied career history, Jamie made the move to marketing with a Masters degree in Digital Media Management. He has since worked in SEO at Agencies across Sheffield, before joining Wildcat and working his way up to SEO Account Manager. Jamie has a particular interest in backlinks and Digital PR and has recently gained a client a valuable backlink from Forbes!
In his spare time, Jamie is an avid foodie and loves trying new restaurants and cuisines. He also loves to travel and spent a year travelling to Australia after university.
Senior SEO Executive
Andy joined Wildcat in 2023 after starting his digital marketing career in-house for a local Sheffield company. Since joining, he has developed a strong interest in Technical SEO and has strong skills in Account Management.
Outside of work, Andy loves music and plays in a couple of bands. He also enjoys rock climbing, cycling, photography and good food.
Client Success Coordinator
Siena joined us in 2023 with a background in sales and digital marketing. She leads on client relationships across the company, ensuring that our customers are happy throughout their journey with us, from their initial consultation through to onboarding and beyond.
Outside of work, Siena enjoys travelling and getting stuck into the local culture. She likes to make the most of her experiences and particularly enjoys watching sunrises and sunsets from beautiful locations around the world.
SEO Account Manager
Thea has a wealth of experience in SEO, having previously worked for other Digital Marketing Agencies in Sheffield. She has a particular interest and skills in Technical SEO, but is more than willing to get stuck in and give anything a go.
Outside of work, Thea spends most of her time with her children, but also loves reading, photography and gardening.
PPC Executive
Before joining Wildcat, Tom worked across different industries, building skills in sales and customer service. He later developed a passion for digital marketing whilst working on personal marketing projects and freelance ventures, and gained numerous certifications in PPC and Social Media.
Outside of work, Tom enjoys staying active by going to the gym and hiking. He also loves travelling and motorbiking.
Head of Growth
Rich joined us in May 2024 to head up our growth team. With years of experience helping other agencies to grow, Rich joins us at an exciting time as Wildcat is working on a five-year plan to become one of the biggest agencies in the UK.
Outside of work, Rich is a father to three children, which keeps him very busy! He’s also recently started running again to keep fit and loves a bit of DIY.
SEO Executive
Kezia joined us in July 2024 after completing a CIM Certificate in Digital Marketing and gaining experience in Content SEO at another Sheffield agency.
In her spare time, Kezia loves to get outdoors, bouldering, hiking and travelling.
SEO Executive
Amy joined Wildcat in 2024 with a background in journalism, having worked as a News Editor and Editor-in-Chief at The Sheffield Tab. She is naturally interested in Content SEO and research, so will no doubt prove to be a content power-house.
In her spare time, Amy loves watching crime shows, listening to music and hanging out with her dog, Eddie!
PPC Account Manager
Masilda joined the Wildcat team in October 2024 with over seven years of experience in digital marketing. She specialises in Google Ads, but is also certified in Google Analytics, YouTube Ads, Google Ads for Ecommerce and Apple Search Ads. She has extensive expertise in performance marketing, display advertising, online lead generation and market planning.
In her free time, Masilda likes staying active, cooking, trying new restaurants and exploring new places.
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