There’s nothing Google likes more than to change things up. In its latest update, Google launched “mobile-friendly” labels in search results, which highlight sites that are well-optimized for mobile devices — and it’s throwing a wrench in the marketing plans of many business owners.
It isn’t enough to have a mobile version of your website. M-dot sites are housed on subdomains, and Google’s new labels are being applied to primary domains, where your website resides.
Will your website be detected as “mobile-friendly” by Google? Here’s how you can tell.
Meet the Criteria
Google has published a series of criteria for deciding whether a site is optimized for smaller screens. This criteria will also be used as ranking signals for Google search results. Translation: Your position in search results could be pushed down in favor of mobile-friendly sites, which means you could lose potential mobile customers.
You will lose customers if your web site is not mobile-friendly. http://t.co/yu1Ys47pif #SEO #searchenginemarketing
— FingerprintMarketing (@fingerprint) January 21, 2015
On the flip side, if your site is mobile-friendly, it means you could actually see a boost in traffic. To guarantee your site will be awarded a “mobile-friendly” badge, ensure it meets these four criteria:
- Avoids software that is not common on mobile devices, like Flash
- Uses text that is readable without zooming
- Resizes content to various screen sizes so users don’t have to scroll horizontally or zoom
- Places links far enough apart so that the correct one can be easily tapped with a finger
Test Your Website
What do these criteria mean for your website? If it already plays nice with smartphones and other mobile devices, then you’re good to go.
However, if you’re not sure, a simple test can help you figure it out. Google offers a mobile test tool that gives users one of two outputs:
- Awesome! This page is mobile-friendly
- Not mobile-friendly
If your website doesn’t pass, it’s important to get it working well now. You’ll receive a series of reasons why it isn’t considered mobile-friendly, and you’ll also get a snapshot of how Google sees your page.
Future-Proof Your Site
Bottom line? If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ll be left in the dust.
With the immense popularity of smartphones and mobile browsing, there’s no reason not to begin rebuilding and future-proofing your website now. displays beautifully on any device and will help you to reach a greater audience. A clean and simple design will increase your site speed and improve how fast your pages load, which can impact your search ranking.
Outsourcing to a professional development team who understands responsive design will give you peace of mind in knowing your website will be optimized for years to come. If you’re ready to make your website mobile-friendly, Fingerprint Marketing is here to help. Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.
Your Turn
How mobile-friendly is your website? Share your status In the comments below