There are only three things in life we can be certain off – that’s Death, Taxes & Google algorithm updates!
There is growing evidence that Google recently released a new algorithm update relating to mobile usability. Reports across the web are beginning to surface relating to websites with mobile usability issues seeing ranking drops and consequent traffic declines.
This is not a surprise. Google’s modus operandi has always been to give its users the best search experience. So with the explosion in mobile devices accessing the internet in recent years, Google were always going to turn their attention to mobile website usability or in other words, how website’s performed on mobile devices.
In recent weeks, Google had been sending out warnings to Webmasters (through Webmaster Tools) advising them if their site had mobile usability issues. They have also encouraged users to visit their “test your site is mobile friendly page” and provided suggested fixes for sites that don’t make the grade.
The are no doubt a lot of small business owners shaking their heads in disbelief. Their new website, only months old, that was beginning to see big gains in rankings and traffic is suddenly hit (or the expectation is going to be hit) by this new mobile usability update.
So if you find yourself in the situation of having a website that does not look good or perform well on mobile you need to consider what you are going to do? Google’s suggestions range from tweaks, to theme updates, to websites depending on the situation you are in.
We would suggest your first action should be, is to open your website on different devices. See for yourself how well your site looks and performs on smart phones, on tablets, on laptops and on desktops. Is it easy to use? Is the content clear? How does your site compare to your competitors? Have they addressed mobile usability issues themselves? Perhaps they haven’t and perhaps you can get ahead of the curve by making your website all-device-friendly before they do?
Clearly mobile is here to stay. According to Silicon Republic & Vodafone Ireland, in 2014, smartphone penetration stood at 61%. This figure is growing. We know we love and are using our mobile devices more and more and expect to be able to access the information we want, quickly and easily anytime, anywhere we want to.
Do you have some questions about mobile usability and how it effects your website? Or have you seen ranking drops and traffic decline? Drop us a line and find our how SWOT Digital can help you.