Do you use your phone or tablet to search on-the-go? If so, Google’s forthcoming update may change how you search – and provide more relevant, easily-navigable results.
On April 21st, Google will release a new algorithm affecting all mobile devices using their search engine. This new algorithm will rank “mobile-friendly” websites higher than non-mobile-friendly websites in terms of interaction and viewing. Popularity will still play its part, however, and after the update goes into effect (up to a week after its release), search results on mobile devices will be re-ranked with popular/mobile-friendly results more likely to rank first.
What does this mean for small businesses? Mobile websites are no longer just a way to get a few extra sales, they’re becoming an integral part of business. 99.5% of consumers use their mobile devices to access information (includes stock market and news apps), and another 63.1% access the Internet. And if these prospective customers can’t find you online, you will lose money and sales fast, especially once Google’s mobile update goes into effect. As a website design and development company, we can help you optimize your website to be mobile-friendly and reach its highest potential.
So what can you do?
Perhaps you’ve heard of some workarounds — increasing text size, decreasing page width, and spacing out links on your page may help your chances at being recognized as “mobile-friendly” by the algorithm. But this can make your desktop site look chunky and amateur. And because each site is different, you can infer that a fix does not happen just by upping the font to 18. ‘Mobilizing’ a site requires a qualified programmer to touch all areas of code, images, and text content. Our web development team at Kirk Communications has the tools to help you create a beautiful and easy-to-find website, both on desktop and mobile.
