In July 2018, Google rolled out a major algorithm change. The focus is on ease of use for site visitors using a tablet or smartphone. Is your website mobile first ready?
In the past, Google’s bots would scan a website and the actions of desktop-based users carried more weight for indexing. Now the bots are look at the mobile experience first. Indexing will assess how user-friendly a site is for making purchases, submitting a form or calling the business from a mobile device.
What’s the big deal about mobile first?
The announcement that Google is switching its website indexing to a “Mobile First Index” affects us all. The number of mobile devices accessing the internet now outnumbers those who access from a desktop computer.
Since the internet now comes to us through our handheld devices and is a huge part of our daily routine, it’s more important than ever to have a mobile-friendly website.
By changing its formulas, Google is recognizing that the majority of us are making our buying decisions on our phones while we go about our lives.
The mobile first website
The mobile-first philosophy in web development means that websites and digital applications are developed with mobile users in mind first. Your website needs to be built for mobile users first, then the site development works backwards from there.
People still use desktops and laptops, especially in the workplace, but the shear availability and convenience of using a smartphone has surpassed static desktop computers.
What if you choose not to comply?
Desktop-oriented websites are no longer Google’s indexing priority. If you decide to keep your static website as is, you will most likely see a drop in your Google search ranking. The more you procrastinate, the easier it will be for your competitors to improve their rank in Google and move ahead.
Again, mobile users now exceed desktop-based users. That means your website needs to accommodate all users. It’s just good business sense.
What should your business do?
If your website is not mobile-friendly, our advice is simple: invest a responsive website. It’s quicker for a web designer to build. Once completed, your new site will serve all of your visitors no matter their device. This will also make sure that Google favors your website content.