mobile SEO

The feedback from MoMoNY Mobile SEO panel discussion has been very positive — and as expected, brought to light some interesting topics.

One of the concerns raised — which is contributing to the low level of content discovery across the Mobile Web — is the lack of outbound linking by mobile webmasters. This prompted me to do some basic (non-scientific) comparisons.

In terms of pages, Google’s Mobile Search crawler is currently indexing only a fraction of it’s world-wide web sister — approximately 0.01%. Not surprising at this early stage, of course, but still eye-opening when you look at competitive, commercial areas that have flourished on the Web.

Considering www SEO revolves around the garnering of quality, inbound links — mobile optimizers face a shortfall.

Here’s the rest of my comment over on Stephen Wellman’s coverage:

… If Mobile Search algorithms follow the same pathway as their older sister - optimizers will find the early days of Mobile SEO hard going. Of course, competition is much slimmer which may compensate.

There was plently of advice about keyword usage for on-page optimisation but less, it seems, for its more important counter-part — off-page optimisation, e.g. its effect on link reputation.

I’ll be posting a fuller transcription of the panel discussion once I get my ears on the podcast and I will also be conducting (and posting) some coal-face (on-page and off-page) testing of basic SEO techniques for Mobile Search. Watch this space!