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Are you confused and even a little scared about Google’s mobile algorithm update which went into action recently?
I'd put money on it you've been told that your site will no longer be found on a Google search, in fact mainstream media in NZ has reported just this. Don't panic, you are not going to vanish from the world of Google and all that hard work you've put into your SEO isn't going down the toilet - just yet anyway.
Here is a quick overview that may help you digest these changes;
- IMPORTANT TO NOTE – the new changes will only affect a site’s search ranking on mobile devices – Your desktop –based SEO is not affected by this change
- Google now uses a mobile friendly ranking signal meaning " users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimised for their devices "'Google'
- This mobile friendly ‘signal’ is only one of many tools Google uses to rank pages. You may still show up if you have the best page for that search. Content is still king – high quality content could still rank well
- If your site is older the design may not be adaptable on mobile devices meaning it will not 'fit' the screen perfectly. Users can still access your content, it will just take them longer to navigate their way around.
- Google search will direct traffic to websites that provide a good user experience on a smaller screen , this may mean your older site could see a higher bounce rate, lower time spend on site and lower conversion rates than published site averages
No one really knows how big this update will end up, it will take months to fully determine, but be assured NO ONE IS BEING DE-LISTED. However, it is clear that Google is taking a stance on this and that mobile-friendly sites will have an advantage in the future. It is an obvious move in this fast changing world in which how we send and receive information is rapidly changing. I recommend you evaluate your current site, your mobile presence and add it to your roadmap to formulate a plan to keep up.
Things to consider;
- Look at your target market and the key objectives of your site, if you predominantly use your site to communicate information to existing customers for example, they will still find you
- Are you currently converting traffic into sales or enquiry from your desktop site? - if not,then being mobile friendly will not increase conversions. You will need to add those functions quick smart
- Do your customers require mobile friendly functionality? For example do they want to click to call you or find you
- How does your current site look on a smartphone?
- Does your site get many mobile visitors? To check get access to your web reports
- If visitors via mobile are low, ask yourself why? It may because your target market simply don't want to reach you through mobile, or because your current site is hard to navigate
- Set clear objectives that you require from your mobile site. Think about conversations and set KPIs.
- What are your competitors doing?
- Embrace the future and don't be afraid to ask around for advise
Tools and useful information;
- Is your site mobile friendly? Take this simple test and find out
- What Google are saying
- Use an authenticated web house to upgrade
- I work with Digital Stream whom can assist with this process
- Implement Google analytics to track new progress