“Getting information off the Internet is like taking a drink from a fire hydrant.” (Mitchell Kapor)
As was witnessed in all Google’s updated algorithms, mobile usability has been a deciding factor in the Search Engine’s listing. Google has been promoting websites that have been optimized to suit mobile usability while pinning down the under optimized counterparts. But this deciding factor was not properly implemented till yet.
Aside from the mobile friendly mark that Google places against the search results there was little to no idea about the factors that Google associates in giving certain websites an improved rating. Due to this approach many website owners have postponed or avoided optimizing their websites to be mobile friendly altogether.
According to Google’s recent blog the search giant is currently working on updating their algorithm which will bring a revolutionary change in how mobile-friendliness is determined. The update will rollout starting from April 21st affecting mobile searches all over the globe.
Even though mobile usability was always a factor in the algorithm updates Panda and Penguin (one of the major algorithm updates that were released by Google) however, most of them were data refreshes which had little to no impact on the search results. Zinet Ait Bahaji, a member of the Google’s webmaster trend’s teams was heard as quoting that this update is more focused towards optimizing mobile-friendly results than the prior algorithm updates that Google made.
According to estimates, Google is currently receiving more than 60 percent of its traffic from mobile devices so it is perfectly understandable that Google wants to prioritize results according to their mobile-friendliness to provide the best possible interface to the mobile consumers.
Apart from the algorithm updates, Google has already begun making changes in ranking which are based on information given out from the applications of signed-in users. It is also expected that future search results will be optimized to include focus on applications and other fundamental mobile tools.
If your website is already optimized to be mobile-friendly, then there is not much to worry about. However, if you haven’t done so, then it’s high time that you optimize your website and devise a strategy where you give mobile phones prime importance.
Mobile qualifications
Google provides website owners with two diagnostic tools which allow website authors to check whether their websites are eligible to qualify as mobile-friendly in the search results or not. The first tool is aptly named as Mobile-Friendly Test which is geared towards checking whether your website qualifies through the initial prerequisites of being a mobile friendly website. Having a website qualified from this tool is not a sure shot guarantee that your website will gain a high spot in the Search Engine Results after the April 21 update. However, it is safe to assume that your website will not be overlooked. Another tool is present in the Google Webmaster Tools which is called the Mobile Usability report. The test gives a detailed report about your websites usability on mobile phone devices. If it seems that there are errors or discrepancies in the report then you have close to three weeks to make them all go away.
The April 21 update is hyped up to be the biggest mobile-friendly algorithm change ever made by Google but it definitely won’t be the last. If your website fails to be mobile–phone optimized by April 21, there is a chance that it will negatively impact your rating while bumping down your organic traffic. So beware, Google wants to provide the most soothing mobile experience to its users and it’s up to you to help Google with the job if you want to keep at pace with the Search Giant.
“Technology... is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in the back with the other.” (Carrie Snow)
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