On April 21, Google will release the next iteration of its search algorithm. If your business depends on search engine rankings – and it should, at least to some degree – then you'd better make sure your IT/website team is aware of what the coming changes mean. (Read more about the role of search engine marketing in 2014 State of Distributor Marketing: Focus Shifts to Digital.)
Earlier this year, Google announced they will “expand the use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal.” In layperson’s terms, Google will begin to favor websites that are mobile-friendly, meaning mobile-friendly websites will be more likely to show up on the top of the Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).
Some of the qualities Google looks for in a mobile-friendly site include:
- Text that is large enough to read on mobile devices
- Links and buttons placed far enough apart to be easily clickable
- Content that displays properly on different devices, regardless of screen size
To find out if your website is mobile friendly, Google launched a Mobile-Friendly Test. This test will yield only two possible results: mobile-friendly (pass) or not mobile-friendly (fail).
If you pass, congratulations! You can get back to business. If not, make sure you IT/website team is actively working on the fixes that Google recommends. And make sure they are working overtime because your competition likely is.
For more resources on optimizing your website for mobile, read Google’s Mobile Guide.
