It’s all go for mobile at Google

Getting good, relevant answers when you search shouldn’t depend on what device you’re using.

Relevancy search results has always been Google’s stated aim and that searchers should get the best answer possible, regardless if using a phone, desktop or tablet.

It was last year that Google started using mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal on mobile searches.

Importance of being mobile friendly

Last Wednesday, 16 March 2016, they announced that beginning May 2016 they would start rolling out an update to mobile friendly search results giving a higher weighting to it as a ranking signal.

The stated aim is helping users find even more pages that are relevant and mobile-friendly.

As if we need to be reminded that the growth in mobile use and search continues the trend upwards, it is another indication of the importance that mobile use, the way mobile users search and the effect it has on their buying behaviour.

If already mobile-friendly, you will not be impacted by this initiative. But if not yet mobile-friendly, you can check using the Mobile-Friendly Test  and get some guidance with the Webmaster Mobile Guide. Both provide guidance on how to achieve and improve your site for mobile search.

Mobile friendly not the only signal!

However, the intent of each search query is still a very strong signal — so even if a page with high-quality content is not mobile-friendly, it could still rank well if it has great, relevant content.

Having said that we are all subject to the same pressures and quality and informative content should be at the forefront of all our plans in the coming months and years.

So being mobile friendly will still be a deciding factor for all sites that depend on organic search as part of their marketing activities.

Need help or advice on getting your site mobile friendly give us a call on 02314 808124 or contact us here.