In December 2014, the people behind search engine giant Google made it known that they were experimenting with a new mobile friendly ranking algorithm. On April 21, 2015, Google’s mobile-friendly algorithm update is set to roll out, and the day has even been called “Mobilegeddon” by the online community. However, website owners should have no reason to dread the implementation of this update as, ultimately, both site owners and Web users stand to benefit from this event.
The algorithm update is meant to encourage the development of more mobile-friendly websites. It functions to potentially boost the Google search results ranking of mobile-friendly Web pages (not entire sites). Here are some key facts about the update that you should be aware of:
Only mobile searchers will be affected by the update. This means that people who use Google search on their desktop computers and tablet PCs will not feel the impact of the update, and desktop and tablet search rankings will not be touched.
Look for the mobile-friendly label in the mobile search results. Website owners should look for this label to determine if Google considers their site mobile-friendly.
The new algorithm update runs in real time. Unlike Panda and Penguin which were delayed, the mobile-friendly update works in real time. There may be instances, though, when the mobile-friendly label will be slow in appearing in Google search results, but the search engine is supposed to reflect the changes in real time.
The time it takes for Google to classify your Web pages as mobile-friendly can take anywhere from a few hours to 72 hours. The search engine will need to crawl your pages to determine if it complies with the update, so it may take a while for some sites to be listed as mobile-friendly. The smart move that site owners should make with respect to this, then, would be to ensure that the site’s most important pages are indexed as mobile-friendly as soon as possible, before the less important pages are.
Drops in rankings (as an effect of the update) will not be noticeable instantly. It can take a few days or even weeks for the update to be completely and successfully rolled out, so you won’t be able to track any changes right away. And currently, there is no way to know what the update’s impact will be on websites. However, Google has shared that the new update’s impact will be more significant than that of both Panda and Penguin; a safe estimate would be that more than 11 percent of search results may be affected.
If you’re a site owner concerned about the mobile-friendliness of your online space, the wise thing to do would be to consult your trusted website design and marketing professionals for expert advice on the best ways to comply with the new Google mobile-friendly update — so your site will continue to provide smooth access and effectively cater to the needs of your mobile-surfing customers.
About Jeremy Littlejohn
I love web design and marketing and have a passion in helping business owners enjoy a results-driven online business. I am a loving father and husband, and legitimate business man with high integrity.
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