On April 21, Google changed its mobile website algorithm giving businesses and organizations an advantage when it comes to Smartphone’s and Tablets.
Just when you thought the internet was safe, Google is at it again with what professionals such as Knoxweb are calling, “Googlegeddon,” or, “Mobilegeddon,” and if you do not have a mobile website, or yours isn’t up to scratch, you will be penalized by the largest search engine on the planet.
Google’s official announcement read, “Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results.”
So what does this mean to you and your business? Well, according to Knoxweb, if you do not have a mobile website or if you have a mobile website that is less than user-friendly, your page rank will be affected.
The systematic and structured de-ranking of websites was announced last February and has already begun with Google penalizing businesses, organizations, and individuals who do not have a user-friendly mobile website.
All websites will be affected thanks to the new algorithm, but especially those who cater to folks on the go. Restaurants, hotels, the healthcare and entertainment industries are sure to be demoted as Google is doing what it always has and that is making it easy for web surfers to find what they are looking for.
A mobile website isn’t just a luxury anymore, and if your site isn’t ready for Smartphone’s and Tablets your SEO or Search Engine Optimization will go down. This means not only will you lose rankings and visitors, but you will also lose money.
When it comes to a mobile website, it must be easy to read without having to pinch the screen, zoom, tap targets, or continually scroll. If your mobile website has to be scrolled horizontally, it isn’t user friendly. Google’s new algorithm insists that your mobile website must be legible with users being able to find what they are looking for easily and quickly.
According to Knoxweb, menu items are one of the biggest culprits when it comes to websites that aren’t user friendly. The last thing that you want is for your clients or potential customers to accidentally hit the wrong button sending them to the wrong page. When people are hunting for show times and great places to eat on the web from a mobile device, they usually want to find it quickly.
An easy way to check to make sure that you have a mobile website is to use the Mobile Friendly tool available on Google. This free tool allows you to check if your website is user friendly. If you do not pass the Mobile Friendly tool, contact Knoxweb who can build you a mobile website that will keep you in Google’s good graces.
Googlegeddon certainly comes as no surprise as the powers at be from Google have always put user experience at the top of their list when it comes to their search engine tool and thanks to the explosion of Smartphone and Tablet use, having a mobile friendly website is an absolute must.
For more information regarding a new mobile website, or an update of your desktop website, contact the team from Knoxweb today.
