Within the past year all key research data indicates that mobile searches have overtaken their desktop counterparts.

Although the changes to Google’s ranking metrics have been in play for about six months, it is still too early to know exactly how this is going to affect SEO in the long term. It’s important to look at exactly what the search giant changed and then try to weigh that against traditional SEO strategies.

Here comes mobilegeddon

It’s not news that Google’s main goal was to accommodate the mobile user experience (UX) and that’s why they instituted the mobile metrics the web began calling Mobilegeddon.

Priority given to responsive, mobile sites

So the first step webmasters needed to take was to transition to responsive mobile-friendly themes or to at least make their main landing pages responsive so that they could be viewed easily on mobile devices. Google loves this and will rank only sites and pages on mobile searches that can enhance the mobile UX.

Leveraging on mobile searches

Before deciding to change the focus of your SEO strategy, it is important to thoroughly analyze exactly what mobile users are searching for. Are they conducting searches using a whole new set of search terms or are they employing the same terms but from a mobile device?

Local businesses thriving due to change in movile search metrics

We do know, however, that local businesses are thriving because most of this type of search is reaping the benefit of responsive themes! Why? Because the majority of people looking for a local business with a physical address search from their mobile phones while on the road looking for a product or brand. It’s really just that simple!

So that leaves the question: if the majority of people are searching via mobile devices, will this affect the SEO keywords and phrases we employ to rank highly?

Yes, it just might.