How Do mobile sites effect Google SEO?

[cunning_stunt]

We have a normal website like everyone but not a mobile one.
I have looked at the bounce rates on analytics and can see our bounce rate from a mobile device is higher.

My two main questions are:

1) If we build a mobile site, what do we do from an optimisation perspective?..

2) In your experience, do you think that providing users with a stripped down mobile version of a site helps enquiries?.. or do you think the more detailed larger version of the site is better for customers..

As it happens, we have a search facility website where users can find, for example, apartments for rent.

[barlow1984]

I don't see having a mobile optimised version of your site will have a direct impact on SEO. However it should reduce your bounce rate you're right.

I would suggest going down the responsive route instead of another site or sub domain just for mobile. Although it's technically not a redesign and you should be able to get away with minor changes to the underlying HTML code, you need to think about your site from a mobile customers perspective. They want very different things than a traditional desktop user.

Sitepoint have a very good book on mobile website optimisation that I would recommend reading.

[cunning_stunt]

I don't see having a mobile optimised version of your site will have a direct impact on SEO. However it should reduce your bounce rate you're right.

I would suggest going down the responsive route instead of another site or sub domain just for mobile. Although it's technically not a redesign and you should be able to get away with minor changes to the underlying HTML code, you need to think about your site from a mobile customers perspective. They want very different things than a traditional desktop user.

Sitepoint have a very good book on mobile website optimisation that I would recommend reading.

But what if the mobile version wasnt optimised and just straight forward search facility. Would that effect its rankings?

[barlow1984]

That wasn't your original question though. A search box wont help reduce your mobile bounce rate in my opinion because if the visitor doesn't know who you are or what you do then what will they search for on your site?

There wouldn't be any mobile optimisation that would really impact your SEO unless you streamlined the site and made page load better, even that wont have a big impact though.