Google Mobile Update: 3 Ways to Prepare for Mobilegeddon 2015
The event that the Search industry has dubbed “Mobilegeddon” is almost upon us. Starting April 21st, Google will be updating its algorithm to increase its emphasis on “mobile friendliness” when ranking search results. Many of you may be wondering what changes to expect, since Google has always factored in “mobile friendliness” into quality scores in the past, so here’s a breakdown of what this change is all about and some quick tips on how to stay on top.
With 15% of the world’s population owning and using tablets, and over 25% owning and using mobile devices according to an eMarketer study, it makes sense to make sure that you offer a positive user experience for these consumers who click on your ad while on these devices. While Google hasn’t provided very many specifics on the mobile update, what we do know is that advertisers who do not have landing pages that are up to the standards of Google’s revamped “mobile friendliness” standards will experience dramatically lower search visibility.
Here are three easy ways to make sure you’re prepared:
1. Make Sure You Have a Functional Mobile Experience
This may appear to be a no brainer, but just because your site looks great and works amazingly on the desktop, does not necessarily mean that that experience will automatically translate to tablets and mobile devices. If you don’t currently have a responsive website (using responsive web design), make sure you create a mobile version of your desktop site. Nothing is worse than having a consumer click on your ad, only to lose them through a website that they can’t navigate through.
2. Test Your Site Out
Google has provided a helpful link for you to evaluate the mobile friendliness of your website, aptly named the Mobile Friendliness Test. In addition, to get a full report on mobile usability issues for your site, check out Google’s Mobile Usability Report. It is worth noting that Google hasn’t said what will change in their requirements on April 21st, but these tests are a great start to see if your website meets the basic standards for a mobile optimized website.
3. Understand Consumer Mobile Behavior
Make sure that the right consumers are seeing your amazing mobile optimized website. It’s important for advertisers to note that mobile users tend to be searching for different things than those on desktop and often, the keywords that are most effective on these devices differ. Searches done on a mobile device tend to be for quick answers such as location or contact information, so make sure to keep those in mind when selecting keywords and optimizing your campaigns for mobile.
Even though we won’t know to what extent advertisers will be affected when April 21st hits, these tips will help you to be prepared for whatever may come.
