Google mobile-friendly changes
Is your site mobile-friendly?
Whether you’re accessing the internet for research purposes or browsing your favourite eCommerce site, mobile is evidently the port of choice. As the usage patterns of people accessing the internet via their mobile device continue to rise, so does the need to adapt the algorithms to reflect this. So, if your site is not yet mobile friendly, you may soon be missing out on a lot of views and visibility.
Google has announced two important changes to help users discover more mobile-friendly content;
1. More mobile-friendly websites in search results
Starting April 21st, Google will be expanding its use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. The change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and have a noteworthy impact in our search results. The change will allow users to find relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices, almost effortlessly. To find out if your site is ready for the upcoming changes, you can:
- Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to analyse your URL and report if your pages have a mobile-friendly design.
- Use your Webmaster Tools account to get a full list of mobile usability issues across your site with the Mobile Usability Report.
2. More relevant app content in search results
Secondly, Google has began to use information from indexed apps as a factor in ranking for signed-in users who have the app installed. As a result, content from indexed apps will be shown more prominently in search. Implementing App Indexing allows information to surface in search results.
Go mobile and maximise your site views!
If you are not already mobile-friendly then after April 21st your site is going to be much less likely to show up in Google search. Google have even created a mobile SEO best practices guide, covering the common mistakes and tips, to make things even easier for you.
Ensure your mobile-friendly opponent does not beat you to the ‚Äòcheckout’ line by implementing these changes to your site, allowing your business to seize those eager customers searching for your product or service on their mobiles.
Want to find out why your site has not passed the Google mobile-friendly test? Read Stacey’s advice in ‘Google Mobile-Friendly Fixes‘.
Another Google update …
As of April 21st, Google also introduced URL breadcrumbs on mobile devices; instead of the search result offering the full truncated URL it now breaks it down. Want to know more about this update? Gabi explains all in ‘URL Breadcrumbs On Google‘
