Google announces date for mobile friendly algorithm update – 21st April 2015.
Mark the date in your calendar. The countdown has begun!
Google recently announced that from the 21st April 2015 they will “be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results.”
Google doesn’t often use words like “significant” in its announcements, so this one has caught the Internet’s collective eyes and ears!
At teclan we have been extolling the virtues of responsive website design for over three years, and recently we were warning website owners to take steps to ensure their websites are responsive in case Google implemented an algorithm change. Well, it has now confirmed that this is going to happen, starting on 21st April 2015.
More mobile-friendly websites in search results
Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results. Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/finding-more-mobile-friendly-search.html
“Mobilegeddon” is coming
This recent update to Google’s search indexes has warranted the creation of the trauma inspiring term “mobilegeddon“. So, should you be worried?
Well, if your website is not currently mobile responsive then yes! Currently we are seeing upwards of 50% of traffic to websites coming from mobile devices. This includes from organic search results, like Google. It is on these mobile search results that you would see your website disappear down the rankings.
What should you do?
If you do not already have plans to convert your website into a mobile responsive design then you need to make plans. If you have these plans already, then you need to bring these plans forward, and fast. It’s better to get a responsive site up and running quickly to avoid being penalised, then amend/update afterwards, than spending a further six months tweaking every little aspect prior to launching a responsive website design.
If you need help and advice in how to get your website responsive then please feel free to get in touch with any member of the teclan team.