Google Offers Advice for Building Websites to Serve Smartphone and Tablet Users
Though Google says it doesn’t have “specific recommendations for building search engine friendly tablet-optimized websites, there are some tips for building websites that serve smartphone and tablet users well.” For starters, Google says to consider how smartphone and tablet users expect. With larger screens, tablets can offer users browsing experiences that can be as rich as those on desktop or laptop computers, but in a lighter, more convenient package. “This means that, unless you offer tablet-optimized content, users expect to see your desktop site rather than your site’s smartphone site.” For smartphone-optimized websites, Google recommends using responsive Web design. The company also notes that a common approach is to have separate sites for desktops and smartphones, and to redirect users to the relevant version. With this approach, however, sites should not redirect tablet users to the smartphone-optimized version. (Google Webmaster Central Blog)
