Google steps up its preference for Mobile websites

Have you ever tapped on a Google Search result on your mobile phone, only to find yourself looking at a page where the text was too small, the links were tiny, and you had to scroll sideways to see all the content? This usually happens when the website has not been optimized to be viewed on a mobile phone.

This can be a frustrating experience for our mobile searchers. Starting today, to make it easier for people to find the information that they’re looking for, we’re adding a “mobile-friendly” label to our mobile search results.

With this in mind, Google has been sending Mobile Usability Warnings to website owners for some weeks now in preparation for some significant changes to its search algorithm that are being rolled out.

You may have started seeing a new type of Google listing when you search from your Tablet or smart phone, that looks like this:

So why the changes?
In short, Google wants to improve the overall user experience and recognises that mobile searches are fast becoming the norm with searches using mobile devices soon set to overtake desktop searches.

To adapt better to mobile devices, Google is now checking your site to see if it’s mobile optimised as one of the key markers that influences your Search Engine Listing.

So what’s the big deal?
if you want your site to be found on mobile searches, this is a very big deal as Mobile Optimised sites are set to be ranked higher in preference of their non-mobile friendly equivalents.

What can I do next?
Google have provided a great tool that allow you to test your site with it’s software, which you can find here: https://www.google.co.uk/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/

If your site isn’t mobile optimised, drop us a line, we can help.

For more information on mobile websites, visit: https://fl1digital.com/technology/your-website-and-mobile-phones-what-you-need-to-know/

Sources:

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2014/11/helping-users-find-mobile-friendly-pages.html
http://searchengineland.com/google-sending-mobile-usability-warnings-huge-number-webmasters-213113
https://www.google.co.uk/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/