Technology Programming

Preparing your Site for Google's Update

With Google's new update on the way, businesses everywhere are wringing their hands in worry that their website is going to be adversely affected.

Well, don't worry too much, the update isn't likely to impact your rankings for desktop usage, but it will affect your rankings for mobile phones and smart devices, which may be an issue for you depending on your circumstances. The update, as yet unnamed, is targeting user patterns for smart devices and will be rewarding websites that are considered to be mobile-friendly.

If your site's already been optimised for access through mobile phones and other devices, such as tablets, then you have nothing to worry about. However, if your site isn't yet mobile-friendly then now is the time to change it.

You may not think that the traffic coming to you through smart devices is that important compared to your desktop traffic, but trust us when we say that it is. Google is implementing the update on the 21st of April based on the shifting patterns in internet usage, which indicates that more and more people are accessing websites through their mobile phones and other smart devices. Eventually, this will be the way that the majority of users browse the internet, so now is the time to make the change and optimise your site.

 

What makes a website mobile-friendly?

There are various factors that determine whether a website is mobile-friendly or not. A lot of these come down to web design and ensuring that your site has a version that can be easily accessed through other devices.

If you're not sure if your site is mobile-friendly then there are a few things that you can do to figure out your next steps. Google is offering a free tool that will assess your website for you and determine where your site is succeeding and failing with regards to mobile-optimisation. Once you've established the improvements to be made, you can go ahead and start making changes to make your site mobile-friendly.

However, without getting technical, here are a few basic things about your web design that will lend itself to being mobile-friendly.
  • Mobile-friendly sites should change to fit screens of various sizes
  • Mobile-friendly sites should be quick to load and responsive
  • Mobile-friendly sites should be easy to navigate, particularly if your desktop site is large or has a lot of pages

In some cases, you can get a separate mobile site but this isn't always necessarily the right option. The next best step is to discuss your site with experienced web designers that have experience in making sites mobile-friendly. Surge Marketing Solutions specialises in web design Middlesbrough and can help you get your website ready for the Google Mobile update before it begins rolling our towards the end of the month.

Remember that mobile browsing is the way of the future, and if you want your site to survive in the changing climate then you need to adapt as quickly as possible. If you don't, then you risk your site being forgotten about.


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