PMI Online Business

A few months ago, we wrote about .mobi domains and the advantages of having one. Some questions arose and we’d like to clarify the topic at hand.

First of all, Google and other search engines don’t give out all details on each of the algorithms they use to calculate search results and relevancy (even when they’re asked). That being said, we admit there is occasionally a bit of speculation on our end about what different details Google takes into account for its results. However, given some of the other criteria Google uses we felt it reasonable to suggest that they – and other search engines – may give more weight to .mobi domains if the search is being conducted from a mobile device.

Secondly, search engines use hundreds of different criteria when ranking a link – how recently the site has been updated, the last time it was clicked, how long people stayed on when they clicked, etc. So while a .mobi domain will have some influence on the results, it certainly doesn’t mean the site will automatically rank better than a non-.mobi site; it only means the link will get an extra bump in that direction.

Lastly, if you run a search on your mobile device, you may not notice any .mobi sites in the results. Part of this may have to do with what was just mentioned (about .mobi only being one of many criteria) but some of those links may actually redirect the user to a .mobi site. The search results page will display the usual URL (.com, .org, etc.) but the mobile user will actually land on a .mobi page.

So these are some things to consider not only when searching on a mobile device, but when deciding on whether to have a .mobi site.

The evolution of technology in recent years has meant more people are using their mobile phones to access the internet. Accordingly in 2005, the .mobi domain – a domain designed specifically for access by mobile devices – was approved. So what does this mean for your business? What exactly is a .mobi domain? And do you need one?

            The idea behind a .mobi domain is to create a website that can be easily accessed and viewed by a mobile device. If you already own a phone with internet access, you know that you can already view pretty much any website on your phone (.com, .net, .org, etc.) regardless of the domain. A properly-designed .mobi site simply makes the site easier to use and navigate; the site is intended to be viewed on a smaller screen with a mobile connection.

Once advantage to .mobi sites is that search engines know if you’re searching on a mobile phone, and will give preference to sites using the .mobi domain. This means the search results are more likely to include a .mobi site than a non-.mobi site.

So do you need a .mobi site? It depends on your current website and your business, and will take some research to figure out.

First, try visiting your current website from a mobile device. How is the experience? Is it difficult to navigate? Are you able to see things clearly enough? If it’s an awkward experience (and feel free to enlist friends to do the same thing) you have a few different options.

1. Maybe you don’t do anything. Look at your target demographic; are a significant portion of them using mobile devices to access your website? How much revenue do you think you’re losing by not having a mobile-friendly site? If you’re not alienating a key demographic, you probably shouldn’t worry about it.
2. Maybe you try to improve your current site. Like was mentioned, mobile devices can already access your .com site, but maybe it’s just a little cluttered. Try some design changes, or have contact information prevalent so they can call you (you know, use the “talky” part of their phone) if they have questions. But keep track of the data; if the changes don’t bring greater revenue, you may want to stick with what you had before.
3. Maybe you invest in a good .mobi site. If your customers need a better experience when visiting your site on their mobile devices, and your current site is hurting the bottom line, you should probably make the investment. Plus, this may give you an advantage on your competition when people search for your product on their phones.

Weigh the pros and cons, then make an educated decision about creating a .mobi site. If it’s not going to directly help build your business, there’s likely not a pressing need to create one.