Is your website Mobile Friendly?
Google Rankings Shakeup: Is your website mobile friendly?
Google is sending notifications to webmasters with sites that are not mobile friendly. This is due to a new mobile algorithm update at Google. For the past few weeks site owners have been reporting shifts in mobile search rankings, which is believed to be the result of a new Google algorithm update. The fact is, that most webmasters who have seen their rankings drop have major mobile usability issues on their websites.
What do you mean by ‘is it mobile friendly’?
When we ask, “Is a website mobile-friendly?” we don’t mean, “Is the site visible on mobile phones?” What we want to know is, “Does the site offer a good user experience on a small screen?” and if your website is older than a year, the chances are the website still require the user to repeatedly zoom in and out in order to navigate on a mobile phone. This is not a good user experience and the website is not responsive to smaller screen sizes.
Mobile Friendly Test
Google have devised a test so you can find out if your website is mobile friendly, that is to say in Google’s opinion which is, after all, the most important opinion.
https://www.google.co.uk/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/
What can you do to achieve a mobile friendly website?
There’s two options, you can have a mobile website built specifically for smaller screen sizes such as smart phones and tablets. Your other website would be for larger screens such as PC’s and laptops. The browser may automatically detect the type of device and deliver the appropriate site, or the user may be invited to visit different addresses depending on the type of device they’re using.
The Second Option is to build a website with a flexible framework that automatically adjusts to fit the user’s screen. This is called Responsive Web Design, and for many, it is the most practical option. By using a fluid layout, a single website can be easy to use regardless of the device.
Examples of Responsive Website Design
It’s easy to test a responsive web design on your PC or laptop, just reduce your browser width and see how it responds. if the website responds and reduces and the menu adapts, you’ve witnessed a responsive website.
Free Health Check
If you need help finding out if your website is mobile friendly and compliant with Google’s latest ranking criteria, just book a free health check for your website and we’ll report back within 24 hours.
