If your website is not ready for Google’s next update and fully optimized for mobile, you could see a pretty drastic decline in your rankings.
Google is changing its search algorithms on April 21 for mobile devices so mobile users will have an easier time finding results that will display properly on their device when they run a search and also pulling results from apps.
The change will rearrange search results so that mobile-friendly websites that display well on mobile devices will be ranked higher than unfriendly ones that don’t. Simply put, those who want to keep their rankings or rank higher on search engines must optimize their websites focusing on mobile devices.
There are several tools and services to help you make your website more mobile-friendly in preparation for the change.
- First take the Mobile-Friendly Test. This is a simple tool where you can enter your website URL. The site then scans the page and makes an estimation on how it performs on most mobile devices and gives a preview of what it looks like on a mobile screen.
- Also check out the various website-building tools that Google offers. The detailed guides offer users tips and steps to take in order to use their chosen software effectively when it comes to mobile visitors.
- A new guide for mobile search engine optimization was also released, giving specific technical details the new algorithm looks at, common mistakes sites may fall for, and advice on how you can increase your website’s ranking on searches with tweaks and fixes.
So really the question most website owners are asking now is: how important is Google’s mobile-friendly algorithm and how it will impact their rankings?
Google’s Zineb Ait Bahajji from the Webmaster Trends team was quoted as saying that the upcoming mobile-friendly ranking algorithm that will launch on April 21st will have more of an impact on Google’s search results than the Google Panda update and the Google Penguin update did.
If you take in consideration that about 50% of all searches done on Google are on mobile devices, this in deed reflects hat this would have a “significant impact” on the mobile search results.
What can you do to optimize your website for mobile devices?
- Review your site to make sure it is mobile friendly by taking the Mobile-Friendly Test.
- Check the touch elements on your site, such as buttons and links to verify that they are easy to use.
- Redirect mobile users to the appropriate mobile URL, if you use separate URLs.
- Avoid having your website rely on Flash.
- Check your page load time.
A well-optimized responsive website can help you to achieve higher mobile search engine results rankings, while also making it easier for customers to locate the information they need about your business.
At Intact Marketing, we have been building only responsive web design in the last two years because we fully understand search trends and we closely followed how mobile search grew significantly in the last few years. If your website is not mobile ready please contact us for an estimate and we’ll be happy to position your business well online.