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A recent story in the Toronto Star about RIM's launch of a mobile website with downloadable Blackberry applications got me thinking about mobile access for websites in general. Is SEO different for mobile devices? Only your SEO company can tell you what you need to do to your site specifically, but for general information on how mobile devices affect SEO and site design, I did some initial research, summarized below.

SEO in a Mobile World

A March 2009 report from comScore shows the increasing prevalence of mobile Internet access. The number of people using a handheld device to access the Web more than doubled from January 2008 to January 2009. The study also notes that mobile access has shifted from an occasional activity to a daily activity for about 35% of mobile device users.

With mobile Web access experiencing such sharp growth, it's no wonder that SEO companies are starting to talk to their clients about optimizing their websites for the mobile market.

So what are some of the considerations businesses need to make? According to what I've read, there are a few key areas that can be tweaked to improve the browsing experience for mobile users.

Optimizing Your Website for Mobile Use

Much of the information here was gleaned from a very informative article by Modern Nomads. While you can learn a lot from this article, I would still recommend that you speak to your SEO company about any changes you want to make. They can advise you about the best course of action for your company and the audience you want to reach.

When doing SEO in the mobile environment, be sure to consider the following points.

• How will you place pages in your domain? You can generate mobile pages using the same URLs, create dedicated mobile pages, or create a subdomain for mobile access. There are advantages and disadvantages to all options, so be sure to consult with an SEO expert before proceeding.

• What about content? As the writers at Modern Nomad rightly state, people using their handheld for Web access are not interested in casual reading. They want specific information that they can act on. You should adapt your content to meet the immediate needs of these users. No corporate history, no vision statement or overriding philosophy - just tell them where you are, when you are open, and what items you have in stock now.

• Should you set up your pages differently? Bells and whistles are not necessary for the mobile crowd i.e. forget the Flash and detailed images and focus on short, crisp text that gets to the point.

• What about code? You should be using CSS in your site's code already. If you aren't using it for your main site, be sure to use it for your mobile pages. CSS is cleaner and you can use CSS coding to remove objects that would be too cumbersome in a mobile device e.g. bullets like the ones used in this list.

For more advice on how to get your site mobile-ready, talk to an expert. If your current SEO company cannot help you, find one that has some experience and expertise with SEO for mobile access.