On April 21st, Google began rolling out a major algorithm update that will have a significant impact on mobile search results. Deemed the “Mobilegeddon,” this update was designed to allow mobile-friendly websites to appear higher in mobile searches, while non-mobile sites will experience lower rankings. Despite all this talk about mobile-friendliness, there is still a great misunderstanding about what exactly a mobile-friendly website is and why it’s so important. Take a closer look at mobile-friendliness and the reasons why you shouldn’t ignore it.
What Does “Mobile-Friendly” Mean?
With more and more people gaining access to smartphones, the mobile web is rapidly expanding. However, websites that are designed to be seen on desktop or laptop browsers will not look their best on a small smartphone screen. Even if the design looks good, navigation may be difficult, with a great deal of pinching, zooming and scrolling involved.
To put it simply, a mobile-friendly website is one that is optimized for use on the mobile web. Google’s definition of mobile-friendliness is based on four different criteria:
- Avoids software that is not common on mobile devices, like Flash
- Uses text that is readable without zooming
- Sizes content to the screen so users don’t have to scroll horizontally or zoom
- Places links far enough apart so that the correct one can be easily tapped
Why Do I Need A Mobile-Friendly Website?
There are a number of different reasons why your website should be mobile-friendly. These include:
- Improved mobile search rankings. Google’s new update has begun to penalize sites that aren’t mobile-friendly by boosting the mobile rankings of mobile-friendly website. If you want to be found in mobile search results, now is the time to update your website.
- Better user experience. Even if you don’t think mobile searches are important, a non mobile-friendly site can lead to a less than stellar experience for both current and potential patients.
- Quicker speeds. If your site isn’t optimized for mobile use, it can load slowly and may even drive people away. A mobile-friendly site will offer a much faster option for viewers.
It’s Not Too Late to Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly. Contact MyAdvice To Learn More.
MyAdvice can optimize your site for use on the mobile web. For more information, contact an MyAdvice representative today at 1-800-260-9497.
