Earlier this year we wrote a different article about how important it is to make websites mobile-friendly. Today we would like to remind you about this once more because Google's update is getting ever closer.
Why is there so much commotion about the mobile-friendly update?
It is not very often that Google announces changes to its search algorithm so prominently like it is doing with its mobile-friendly update. The changes that are slated for April 21st should have a huge impact on mobile rankings and be even more extensive than the famous Panda and Penguin updates combined. According to seachengineland.com, this is not speculation, but an actual statement from the Google Webmasters Trends employee, Zineb Ait Bahajji. The only thing that remains to be discovered is how much of an impact this will actually have on each website.
What is Google looking for in the mobile-friendly update?
With the new update, Google isn't only trying to filter out bad websites (not referring to mobile-friendly websites), but Google is also trying to encourage website owners to make their websites better for visitors.
By "Better", Google means:
- error-free
- good navigability (no horizontal scrolling needed)
- no pinch-to-zoom (A gesture frequently used on smartphones and tablets to zoom in on text or pictures)
- fast loading
- no Flash
- easy use of navigation links
- only relevant information for mobile device users
Optimizing websites for mobile devices: yes or no?
According to a report from Mitul Gandhi of seoClarity at the SMX in Munich, searches on mobile devices make up about 30% of all combined traffic. That is a large number when talking about conversions (the process of making a visitor perform an action on your site, whether that is purchasing something, downloading something, or signing up for a newsletter). How this affects different industries has yet to be determined.
As a general rule, the user experience is the most important
The more user-friendly a website is on a mobile device, the more likely it is that the site will be visited again. This applies to both mobile and desktop searches and as such, how compatible your site is with mobile devices can no longer be ignored.
How do I make my website mobile-friendly?
For those who are still beginning with optimizing your site for mobile devices, Google has made a guide for you. That guide has a few small steps showing you what options are available to webmasters and what mistakes should be avoided. This website can be also used by everyone in order to see how mobile-friendly your website is.
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