ICYMI: Google’s Mobile-Friendly Update

One week from now — April 21st, for the mathematically challenged — Google will once again be making changes to its search algorithm. This time, they’re focusing on mobile-friendly searches, and many in the marketing industry have been waiting for this day to arrive. If things go as planned, and there’s no reason to think they won’t, businesses that take advantage of mobile searches could find themselves in a positive position.

Here at Madison Taylor Marketing, we couldn’t be more thrilled. We’ve always tried to hammer into people’s heads the importance of building mobile-friendly websites, and this update by Google is right in line with those thoughts. And with Google being the most popular search engine in the world, it makes sound business sense to make sure you know what the update is set to do.

It’s All About the Algorithm

Google is constantly developing ways to improve its search engine results. In the two most recent algorithm updates, known as Panda and Penguin, small impacts to online searches were seen. With Panda, approximately four percent of global searches were impacted, whereas Penguin reportedly affected around 12 percent of English-language searches. In 2013, Google dedicated itself to implementing ranking changes to address websites that were not configured for mobile users. Then in February of this year, they announced that two considerable changes would be coming to assist users with finding mobile-friendly content. This new mobile-friendly update to Google’s algorithm is the first of those changes, and has been said to be even bigger than those two previous updates. This is why the SEO community is in such a tizzy.

How the Update Will Impact Your Business

Do we really need to once again go over the importance of developing a mobile-friendly website? We’ll spare you the minutiae, but basically it breaks down like this — everyone is going mobile, which means that more searches are being done on mobile devices than ever before. This trend will continue in the foreseeable future (probably until we do searches using cybernetic implants in our brains — though that would technically still be considered mobile). Goggle’s new algorithm is expected to improve the accuracy of the search results when such a search is conducted on a mobile device, providing what Google calls “relevant, high-quality search results.” The changes they’re making could be either a boon for your business or the beginning of a negative ranking experience.

Make Sure Your Site is Mobile-Friendly

Okay, we fibbed a little. Yes, we are going to discuss the importance of developing a website that is mobile-friendly. Why? Because this Google update makes it even more essential to your business’ online exposure and, by design, its success. What the algorithm update will do is expand Google’s use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor, and it’s doing so in all languages worldwide. For those who haven’t listened to our advice (and the advice of countless others, to be fair) on making their website mobile-friendly, their search visibility is very likely to go down. Those whose have heeded the advice of marketing gurus may be rewarded for their efforts with an uptick in online visibility.

With Google’s vast popularity over all other search engines, no business can afford to ignore their ranking system. And with the increasing use of mobile devices as the conduit through which searches are taking place, no website can afford to ignore the need for a mobile-friendly experience. Now, with these two things working in unison, it’s arguably more important than ever, and the rewards could be huge (or, at the very least, you won’t be negatively affected). For more information on this update or any other marketing issues, contact Madison Taylor Marketing and we’ll be happy to assist you!