Google Update – What It Means For Your Business

Google has today released its mobile friendly algorithm update to include ‘mobile-friendliness’ as a ranking signal for websites.

The move is designed to keep pace with “profound” changes in consumer behaviour and is expected to have a “significant” impact on search results over the coming weeks.

Reacting to the news, Photolink SEO specialist Ken Berkley said: “This update will only impact mobile searchers and should provide a ranking boost to mobile-friendly pages in Google’s mobile search results only.

“It’s critical to your brand and business that you have a mobile-friendly site. Google handles nearly nine out of 10 of all queries in the UK.”

Websites that are not deemed to be mobile-friendly may see a drop in their search rankings reducing the number of people who visit a site, resulting in less conversions.

Photolink have been designing and building mobile responsive sites since 2012 and the mobile user experience has always been a part of our digital and content strategy with clients.

Companies like Microsoft, Wikipedia and the European Union are among those who could be penalised by Google’s new secret formula.

The online test provided by Google shows that the EU’s website is not “mobile-friendly” and contains text that is too small, links that are close together and content that is wider than the screen.

The change won’t affect search on desktop computers or tablets but because mobile now accounts for half of all searches on Google and an estimated 75 per cent of adults in the UK have smartphones, companies will start to notice the difference.

As mobile device usage continues to grow (and new technology like the Apple Watch are introduced into the marketplace), mobile strategy has never been closer to consumers.

Photolink.