While the Google algorithm update released on April 21, 2015 isn’t the end of the world, even though the nickname Mobileggedon suggests otherwise, it could do damage to how you rank on mobile Google searches. If you’re not currently using any sort of mobile-friendly template, here are the options to consider.
What is Mobile-Friendly?
Mobile-friendly is a buzzword these days, but what are we talking about when we talk about mobile-friendliness? Mobile-friendliness is an umbrella term for any website that can be easily viewed on a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet. This can include several different options, as seen below, but Google has four criteria it uses in determining mobile-friendliness:
- resizing content to fit the screen without needing to scroll horizontally or zoom in
- avoiding software like Flash that is not typically available on mobile
- using a text and size that is easily readable
- placing links at a reasonable distance to be easily tapped
The Google algorithm and the Googlebots are trained to find sites that make users happy, using the above criteria and more, to populate search engine results pages, helping users find the information they want quickly and easily.
Understanding mobile is the first step. Now let’s take a look at the options for mobile-friendliness.
Responsive Design
Google’s recommended method of mobile-friendliness, a responsive web design allows for the content of the website to adjust to the device and rearrange itself accordingly. Search bots only need to search the original site, as a separate site or additional HTML code is not necessary. Responsive sites download all of the website content, resizes images, and uses one template.
Mobile Sites
Like dynamic design, having a mobile site separate from the desktop site allows the option of adding or subtracting content for mobile users. But unlike the previous two options, this not only requires separate HTML code, but a different URL as well. This could cause confusion when a user shares a link or transfers between a desktop and a mobile device.
Mobile App
A mobile app is only as good as the value it adds (usually making life easier for the consumer), so consider this option carefully. “There’s an app for that” may be a popular phrase, but mobile apps aren’t common for most businesses. Companies using ecommerce or with frequently-used services might find mobile apps to work more in their favor, but in addition to a website—a mobile app should never take the place of a website, no matter what the industry.
Mobile-friendliness isn’t just a trend or a fading fad. It’s here to stay and it’s time you got in the game. If you want to learn how to get your site optimized for mobile, get a free mobile design assessment by clicking on the button below.
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