As of 2024, over 60% of all global internet traffic originates from mobile devices.[1] With that in mind, you must design your search engine marketing (SEM) campaigns with mobile users in mind, or you’ll effectively be ignoring over half of your target audience. Below is a closer look at mobile optimization in SEM and its best practices that will help make your content more visible on search engines and connect with more mobile users in the process.
Why Mobile Optimization in SEM Matters
Mobile optimization in SEM is becoming increasingly important due to the role mobile devices play in consumers’ daily lives. Smartphones, in particular, have become an integral part of the modern lifestyle, providing the most convenient means of accessing the digital landscape. Failing to invest in mobile optimization means missing out on that (still-growing) audience.
Google also uses mobile-first indexing.[2] In other words, the search engine uses the mobile version of websites for ranking and indexing purposes. If yours does not perform well on smartphones and tablets, it will rank lower, which means less visibility to users overall.
Most importantly, a seamless mobile experience encourages users to take action.
How Mobile-Friendly Ads Impact Your PPC Campaigns
Mobile optimization is essential in SEM for more than enhancing user experiences. A responsive design and mobile-optimized landing pages will also impact your paid search campaigns.
Mobile-friendly ads can help you attract clicks from users who want fast, relevant answers. And given that Google rewards ads and landing pages that provide an excellent user experience, your ads could lead to a higher quality score and lower cost-per-click (CPC).
Best Practices for Creating Mobile-Friendly Ads
Crafting mobile-friendly ads is about delivering the right message at the right time to the right audience, all while keeping their mobile behavior in mind. Here are some best practices to guide you through the process:
Keep Things Short and Sweet
Users search for quick answers when they grab their mobile devices to look something up. And that means your ad copy should be concise and to the point. Focus on what makes your product or service unique, position it as the solution to the customer’s problem, and always wrap things up with a strong call-to-action (CTA).
Use Mobile-Preferred Ad Formats
Google Ads allows you to create ads specifically designed for mobile users. Call-only or responsive search ads adapt to various screen sizes, ensuring your message is displayed correctly regardless of the device.
Leverage Location-Based Targeting
Many mobile searches are performed with local intent. That is to say, people are looking for a solution close by, such as “coffee shops near me” or “plumber in [city].” Location-based targeting allows you to serve ads that are hyper-relevant to people near your business. Geographic targeting can increase the odds of a conversion and help eliminate ad campaign waste.
Optimize Ad Extensions
Ad extensions like click-to-call and app downloads are especially valuable for mobile campaigns. They provide additional information and make it easy for users to act without leaving the search results page.
Test and Optimize
Conduct A/B testing on mobile ads to identify what resonates most with your audience, and experiment with headlines, CTAs, and visual elements to continuously improve performance.
Tips for Delivering a Great Mobile User Experience
The goal of any PPC campaign is to get people to visit your website. But even the best-crafted mobile ad won’t deliver results if the landing page experience falls short. Your website needs to be fast and intuitive for mobile users to navigate.
Here’s what you need to do to create such an enriching mobile experience:
Prioritize Page Speed
Mobile users expect instant results, so if your site doesn’t load fast enough, many users will likely bounce and choose the next option on the results page. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to evaluate your site’s performance.
If you find that your landing page is dragging down your conversion rate, try these speed-boosting techniques:
- Compress any images
- Enable browser caching
- Minimize JavaScript and CSS
Keep in mind that seemingly minor changes to your website can impact page speed. Any time you update your content or pages, recheck their speed to ensure you haven’t unintentionally slowed things down.
Design for Touchscreens
Ensure all your links and buttons are large enough to tap easily, and avoid overcrowding your landing page with interactive elements. You don’t want people to tap the wrong button accidentally and get frustrated.
Create Responsive Landing Pages
A responsive design ensures that your website automatically adjusts to fit the screen size of any device, improving usability and aligning with Google’s mobile-first indexing. Test your pages on various devices to ensure that they adjust appropriately.
Simplify Forms
If your conversion goal involves completing a form, keep it as short and straightforward as possible. Users don’t want to fill out anything obnoxiously long, especially if they are already deciding whether to take action. Use dropdown menus and autofill options to gather necessary information as seamlessly as possible.
Make Your Pages Intuitive
A cluttered or confusing navigation menu can frustrate users and drive them away. You want users to feel like they’ve been there before, even if this is their first time interacting with your brand. Use a familiar menu for mobile navigation, such as a drop-down list, and prioritize your most important pages, like your product or service pages.
Enable Click-to-Call Functionality
If you run a service-based business, then you need to be using click-to-call buttons. They can boost mobile conversions by allowing users to contact you directly without navigating away from your page. Remember, your goal is to make the entire user journey as easy as possible.
Elevate Your SEM Campaigns With Full Circle SEM
At Full Circle SEM, we create personalized SEM campaigns that connect with your audience and amplify your brand voice. Whether you need help optimizing mobile ads or require a total website overhaul, our team has got you covered. Contact us today to learn how we can help you unlock the full potential of mobile optimization in SEM.
Sources:
[1] https://explodingtopics.com/blog/mobile-internet-traffic
