A Google change means your website had better be mobile-friendly as reported in the media today!
As from today April 21 Google wants everyone to get their websites mobile-friendly. Responsive websites, or mobile friendly websites, sites have ranked higher than those who are not mobile optimised for some months already.
Website design which optimises its content for all devices is not just an option – it's an absolute requirement, underlined by Google's imminent update.
Today (known as "Mobilegeddon") Google are drawing something of a line in the sand on the topic. Today, Google is rolling out a major change to its search algorithm which will alter the rankings of sites depending on their responsiveness. In their own words:
"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."
The search giant will be changing the way results appear based on websites that are deemed mobile-friendly due to the fact that 60% of traffic now comes from mobile devices. For those late to the news, the change could have negative implications starting tomorrow. Sites without text and formatting unsuited for mobile devices will suffer most. In February this year, Google announced these details in a blog post:
Although the finer details of this update are not known, Google have hinted that this update will be more impactful than the recent Penguin and Panda updates, which would suggest that mobile search rankings will be adversely and negatively affected for those sites who are not mobile-ready.
Is your website mobile-friendly? Not entirely sure? Try the test.
Responsive design is the preferred answer to this problem. It's also Google's preferred design pattern. Your audience is better served by the desktop and mobile content being contained in one and the same url. Your website is displayed correctly on all devices and resolutions, and (assuming it's been properly structured) your content will adapt and distribute accordingly.
For assistance to make your website mobile-friendly or to create a new responsive website please contact us on 03 9427 1403 or email studio@graydesign.com.au or send an enquiry on our mobile-friendly website www.graydesign.com.au