By Katt Stearns. Over the last few years we have heard “mobile and social aren’t just emerging – their merging” and come April 21, 2015 that statement will be even more true.
Google recently announced that they will be releasing a new algorithm focused on websites and web pages being mobile friendly.
What does mobile friendly mean?
To simplify, it means that when someone visits your website on their mobile phone or tablet the site adjusts to the screen size and creates a positive user experience. If you have ever viewed a website on a phone and found yourself pinching and expanding the screen to try and read the text, you were visiting a website that was not mobile responsive.
Google wants to ensure that you have the best experience possible when using their search engine and with more and more people using mobile devices it was only a matter of time before Google made it mandatory for you to have a mobile-friendly site or you would be penalized.
Google has stated that on April 21, 2015 the release will be rolled out within a few days or a week and will be in effect immediately. There is no grey area, your website is either mobile or it isn’t.
If you aren’t sure if your website is mobile friendly you can use Google’s free mobile test tool to check and see click here.
Katt Stearns Google Algorithum Changes (2)
If your website is not mobile I would suggest that you connect with your website provider to see if there is an easy solution available, such us updating to a new theme for WordPress users or looking at alternative options.
I can understand that some businesses may be frustrated with the change from Google but I do know that it will help your business in the long run. When landing on a non-mobile friendly site on their mobile phone, the majority of people tend to leave the site right away (this is called your bounce rate). By encouraging businesses to have mobile responsive websites, your customers will have a better user experience, stay on your site longer and will drive more business to you.
If you would like to know more about these changes being rolled out you can read this article for more details.
If you need help and are concerned about your website not being responsive with these recent changes, you can contact our office and we would be happy to walk you through some options.
Katt StearnsAbout Katt Stearns
We all have a story to tell. Capturing it in a manner that engages, educates and entertains your audience requires Strategic Social. Katt Stearns is a social media marketing consultant, speaker and trainer. She has worked with numerous organizations including BC Hydro’s Power Smart, Thompson Rivers University and Mission Folk Music Festival to develop strategic social media strategies that help them share their stories, and make a difference in the world. Katt is also the Director of Social Strategy for We Make Stuff Happen. You can find Katt at KattStearns.com, Google+ or on Twitter at @KattStearns.