Internet users now consult your content much more from their smartphone than on their computer. Are their expectations and behaviors the same across all devices? What can we conclude for your content strategy and your mobile web communication? Explanations from Françoise Landuré, expert in written communication.
The share of content read on mobile (smartphone or tablet) is increasing every day. In 2015, mobile web browsing surpassed desktop browsing. In 2019, according to Médiamétrie, French people spent an average of 35 minutes on a computer and 75 minutes on a mobile every day. Among 15-24 year olds, 6 out of 10 users use a smartphone exclusively to surf the Internet.
Whether to communicate, find prospects, sell or build loyalty, these new uses influence the choice of equipment, reading methods and exchanges with mobile users.
It therefore becomes essential to adapt the design of Internet media and their content to these new uses.
Adapt your content strategy to the mobile web
Our smartphone accompanies us everywhere. We use it in all situations of daily life. We search there and expect instant responses. Our mobile allows us to fill waiting times. It also helps us to stay in continuous contact with our network. We send photos, share videos… There is therefore room for varied content, either useful in the moment (informative, professional…), or purely entertaining (cultural…).
To design relevant content for mobile, you have to put yourself in the user's shoes, asking yourself what content is most likely to be searched for in a mobility context. Thus, on themes such as weather, recipes, sport and fashion, searches on mobile are the majority. We can use tools to find out about the nature of mobile traffic, such as Google Search Console.
Writing for the mobile web
Reading on mobile is different from reading on computer. On mobile, the screen size is reduced. Mobile users are in the mood for immediacy. Hence the importance of applying specific writing practices.
The essential at first glance : like on a computer, the visible space above the fold is crucial. This is what the mobile user sees before scrolling down. On mobile, you have to be particularly selective. The Internet user must find a solid hook or the essential information of the page.
A short and punchy title : for a mobile-friendly title, do not exceed three lines. You can play on the complementarity between a punchy title and a more explanatory subtitle. For a qualitative image, avoid clickbait, that is to say the use of touted titles encouraging clicks.
Brief and precise answers : mobile users favor short content, otherwise called content snacks. These micro-contents are limited to 300 words and do not take more than 2 minutes to read. For longer articles, prioritization is crucial. Structure your text into numerous sections and subsections. Answer the question asked in the first paragraph. Give details in the following. Develop only one idea per paragraph and limit yourself to one screen for each. Write short, simple sentences.
Bulleted lists : once past the title and the first sentences, the mobile user adopts a diagonal reading. Putting certain words in bold helps attract their attention. Due to the vertical construction of mobile sites, this scanning is carried out from top to bottom. Bulleted lists have the advantage of better retaining the reader's attention.
Video content : video is the first format consulted on the Internet, especially on mobile. Give him a wide berth.
Think about mobile browsing comfort
In communication, form is inseparable from substance. The ergonomics of a mobile website must adapt to preserve comfort of use, capture and retain the user.
A single column : display in several columns hinders readability on mobile. The single-column layout is therefore widely adopted. The fact that it increases the length of the pages is not detrimental because Internet users are now used to scrolling. This layout is even becoming trendy on desktop versions.
Spaced out links : on mobile, a finger that is too thick or clumsy can cause unwanted clicks. Hence the importance of properly ventilating the links or, when possible, replacing text links with graphic buttons.
A readable font : for the mobile user, reading conditions are not always optimal. It can be outside, in transport... The recommended font size is 16 pixels minimum. If you choose a Serif font, increase the line spacing. Choose comfortable typography and adopt sufficient contrast between your text and the background.
Adapted visuals : if a web page loads too slowly, the Internet user risks leaving your site before even reading your first line. However, on a mobile connection, the data usage limit is lower than on a computer. It is therefore necessary to use compressed images, in suitable dimensions and formats: JPG for heavily colored photos or images, PNG for simple images.
Prohibited pop-ups : Users are irritated by pop-ups, which are even more invasive on mobile. They can also penalize you in terms of SEO. Limit yourself to mandatory pop-ups (cookies management, etc.).
Meet the Mobile First Index
With the appearance of Google's Mobile First index, it is the mobile version of a website which is taken into account in the natural referencing criteria. Sites designed first for mobiles are therefore better referenced. Three criteria are added to the good practices previously listed.
Key phrases suitable for text queries and voice search
On mobile, the Google search bar is smaller. Users get straight to the point and write shorter queries. The list of top results is also shorter. It is therefore appropriate to plan for the optimization of shorter key phrases.
However, voice search is growing strongly. The requests are then precise and formulated in the form of questions. Beyond the main keyword of an article, you must therefore rely on secondary or long tail keywords (more descriptive and less “competitive” keywords).
An effective mobile SEO strategy must reconcile these two approaches.
Local content
97% of mobile users have used Google at least once to find a business near their location. You will therefore benefit from developing content on local subjects, whether it is articles, photos, videos or infographics. Tools like Google Trends tell you what is searched for in your geographic area.
Neat meta tags
Google presents Internet users with the most relevant websites to their queries. Your metatitles and metadescriptions must therefore be designed to provide as many answers as possible to your potential users. In the mobile version, the field lengths are shorter than in the desktop version: around 78 characters for the tag title and 300 for the tag description. However, this should be qualified because it is the width in pixels that is taken into account and not the number of characters.
Respond to different uses thanks to responsive design
Since the explosion of web browsing on mobile, web design has adapted. Responsive design adjusts the layout of a website according to the size of the user's screen. But not only. Advanced solutions now make it possible to generate different content depending on priorities: certain modules only appear on desktop, others only on mobile. Or, the order of appearance of modules may be different between desktop and mobile. Something to please your users… and Google.
An ideal content strategy also consists of combining in-depth articles (1000 words or more) with shorter, entertaining content (intended to be shared on social networks). This diversity of content makes it possible to respond to the different uses that Internet users make of their devices while enhancing the image of your company.
