Even the world of SEO has been unable to escape the ever-expanding influence of smartphone applications, which means that businesses should think about how the way in which Google indexes apps and content will impact them.
Google has been indexing apps for a couple of years, but recently it rolled out an update to make app-exclusive content accessible on its standard SERPs without requiring users to install separate software.
This allows content from Android apps to be accessible to everyone, promoting a device-agnostic approach to mobile search. It could also change the way in which firms optimise on-site and in-app content, as in both cases they may end up appearing as results on Google.
Will SEO really change in the face of app indexing and streaming, and how can sites use website design in Cardiff to prepare themselves to thrive in this brave new world?
App-based benefits
If you optimise apps in the same way as you optimise a website, then in theory it will be indexed by Google and achieve a high enough rank that more people start to encounter it when they search for keywords that are relevant to your business. Conversion rates will be where apps outdo websites, which is why boosting the number of people who install your bespoke mobile software is desirable.
Google operates on a number of levels, of course, and will attempt to determine whether web-based or in-app content is most appropriate depending on the context of each query.
This means it is a good idea to take advantage of professional assistance when carrying out SEO for apps and sites alike, with website design in Cardiff by Ambercouch and other agencies being the sensible choice to help you in this respect.
Potential pitfalls
It should be obvious to anyone paying attention to the search market or the web in general that mobile optimisation is the way forward. In ideal circumstances this will require businesses to build both mobile-friendly websites and dedicated apps for each major platform to cover every part of the market.
This takes time and requires investment, but the payoff is significant. As the power of mobile search grows and apps become further integrated with how results are ranked and displayed, those who get their foot in the door early will be in the best position to profit.