Mobilegeddon! No need to fear the hyperbole…

50s B-movie heroine screaming

On 21st April, Google changed its search algorithm to favour mobile-friendly websites.

What does this mean for you?

Well, if your website is not easy to read on a mobile device, then Google will now rank your website lower in the search results than other sites that have been built to optimise viewing on a small screen.

A website that is easy to read, navigate and load on a mobile device will have an advantage over websites that have been built with only larger screen sizes in mind. Imagine your website loading onto a mobile-sized screen, and then imagine your customers struggling to read the text, missing key pieces of information, forced to scroll and zoom in and out of your pages. A less than satisfying experience, I’m sure you’ll agree. Who could blame them for quickly leaving and choosing a more user-friendly website?

These ‘bounce rates’ inform the search ranking Google applies to your site, and coupled with a site that is not responsive for mobile devices, you could find yourself with a website that is no longer serving your business as well as it should be.

What can you do? You could see how your website fairs against the Google mobile-friendly test, but don’t be despondent if the results are not what you’d like to see! It is worth bearing in mind that most sites over 2 or 3 years old will struggle to meet the criteria Google have identified.

Nevertheless, web traffic is increasingly driven by mobile devices, so it is important to make sure your customers see you at your best when they view your website on a smartphone screen. If you don’t like what you see, then you need to consider making the changes that will keep your site visible, easy to navigate and fit for purpose.

In many instances, we can retro-fit responsiveness into your existing site, but we can also rebuild your site from scratch, ensuring your site incorporates all the functionality and accessibility your customers demand. This needn’t be a costly undertaking, but it may be worth every penny when you find more customers visiting your mobile-friendly website.

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