Google Rolls Out Mobile-Friendly Website Update

Photo Credit: Courtesy of enapps.com.au

Google has recently announced that it updated its search engine ranking algorithms to give priority to mobile-friendly pages in mobile search results. Individual website pages that are not deemed user-friendly on mobile devices will likely notice their rankings fall even though they may have scored higher in the past.

The change was made to provide mobile users with an improved search experience. It is important to note that this update only applies to rankings on mobile devices. Search results on desktops and laptops, for instance, are not affected.

Also, mobile-friendly pages will not automatically outrank traditional web pages in each and every case. Relevance and many other signals are important factors in determining individual rankings in search results. Website owners should review the percentage of mobile visitors in Google Analytics to understand the impact this update may have on their web pages.

What is a mobile-friendly website?

Loosely defined, a mobile-friendly website is one in which the width of the web page fits neatly within the browser window without requiring the user to tap or scroll to view the page contents.

Is my website mobile-friendly?

There is a simple tool that helps webmasters eliminate the guess work for determining whether or not a specific web page is mobile-friendly. When you key in your URL, Google will quickly analyse the site, simulate its appearance on a mobile device and inform you if it passes the test.

How do I make my website mobile-friendly?

Websites that are not mobile-friendly should take steps to remediate the situation as soon as possible to capitalise on all possible search engine traffic. This involves either building a stand-alone mobile website or convert an existing website into a responsive design. The number of individuals using mobile devices for online activities is growing and if you want to get your share of mobile search traffic from Google having mobile-friendly web pages is a necessity.