Enhance Google Mobile Search Results to Attract Users

By Sarah McInerney  

| October 21st 2020

Top search engine rankings are one of the core aims of businesses and SEO agencies alike. But are your search results clickable in Google? In other words, do they entice click-throughs, or are they more inclined to send people scrolling down to the next result?

Click-ability of search results is a sure-fire way to increase online traffic, which is gold dust in terms of boosting your chances of achieving more sales. And, if you’re a local business, you’ll be relying even more on mobile click-throughs. So, with all this in mind, let’s explore how you can make your Google mobile search results more enticing to visitors so that you can reap the rewards that come with higher visitor numbers.

We’ve talked in-depth previously about how SEO helps your business, and answered the question, what is Google local SEO. Local SEO needs to be part of your digital strategy if you have a physical location or a local audience. It’s all about using an online platform to get more people to visit your physical location, increase enquiries and give your local presence a boost.

Let’s back all this up with some vital statistics:

• 52 per cent of global internet traffic comes from mobile devices
• 60 per cent of Google searches are done via mobile devices
• 50 per cent of ‘near me’ searches done via mobile will result in a store visit

In other words, mobile matters. It’s precisely why Google orders its search results using a mobile-first approach, using the mobile version of the site as the starting point for indexing, rather than the desktop version.

So, how to get people to click on your links in mobile search results, rather than a competitor’s?

How to boost click-ability in mobile search results

These are our top tips for improving the chances of your mobile search results being clicked on:

1.     Get the title right

Local SEO agencies are aware that organic Google results with three to four words in the title drive higher click through rates (CTRs) than organic results with 1-2 words in the title. So be sure to craft a longer-form title. And always include the primary keyword, because when people see a direct match for their search term, they’ll be more likely to associate the result with precisely what they’re looking for.

The title is the most noticeable thing in mobile results, and of course it’s the thing that people actually click on. A catchy title that matches search intent will carry a lot more weight than something weak and irrelevant.

Questions tend to work well as titles, as they trigger a natural instinct to look for an answer. It’s all about creating curiosity. Numbers work well too. 10 top tips, 7 ways to…, that sort of thing. Questions and numbers are especially effective in titles when the search intent is informational or investigative.

Another tip to help create a compelling title is to use ‘power words’. Use vocabulary that prompts interest. Here are some examples:

A good way to get inspiration for a great title is to search for your content topic and analyse the titles that are occupying the top results.

If you’re lacking confidence, there are tools out there that you can use to test your headlines, such as this one from the Advanced Marketing Institute that analyses the emotional value of your title content.

2.     Optimise your meta description

There is only so much you can express in a title. The meta description is your showcase area, the place to answer the visitor’s search query instantly.

Google will automatically generate a description based on the search query, but if you’ve done what you’re supposed to do then it will use yours instead. So make sure you add a meta description to every post and page on your website.

To give yourself the best chance of Google using your meta description rather than its own, you’ll need to use search-optimised phrases that include related terms and synonyms. Here’s why related keywords are crucial for SEO, including tips on how to research and generate them.

3.     Optimise your URL

Just like with your title, including your primary keyword in the URL will help boost trust amongst visitors. They will consider the relevant term in the web address as meaning they are set to get precisely what they’re looking for when they click your link. It’s also an important signal for Google, so there’s a double benefit.

Making the structure nice and descriptive will also help. Research by Microsoft revealed that descriptive URLs perform 25 per cent better than generic ones. So, include categories and sub-categories in your link structure. This will help visitors see that there is more information available should they need it.

4.     Use a relevant featured image

Google has made its mobile search results much more visually appealing than its desktop ones. A lot of results now show an image thumbnail, which makes them way more prominent and therefore more clickable.

If you want an image to show in your search result, use something that’s unique and draws attention. Try to avoid stock photography if you can, although it’s better than nothing at all.

Your image will need to be clear and good quality, and relevant to the result. Ideally, you’ll use an image that appears on the page you are linking to.

Here’s how to add featured images to WordPress posts and pages so that they show up in search. And here are Google’s guidelines on specifying thumbnails.

Use a featured image to make your mobile search results more prominent.

Local company? Then you need help from the local SEO agency London businesses trust to get them the best results!

There is a great deal that goes into achieving the best possible rankings and click through rates that ultimately lead to increased sales. Google local SEO is a multi-faceted strategy, so if you’re going to nail it, you’ll need the best possible help. Help from a local London based SEO Agency businesses know have a proven track record.

At Figment we’ve been making great things happen for local businesses in London and Surrey for many years. As a family-run agency, we genuinely care about the success of our clients. If you’d like some help in boosting the visibility of your local business, you are welcome to get in touch.