Industry News.
Google Introduces Special Ranking for 'Mobile-Friendly' Sites

09/12/14

Google has recently announced and begun to launch a new label and ranking algorithm to reward sites optimised for mobile devices. The changes, which are already in effect and will be implemented globally in the next few weeks, will give greater visibility to any website that Google considers to offer users a ‘better mobile web experience.’ These websites will appear higher in search results and be given a ‘mobile-friendly’ label to attract searchers.

The move reflects the rapid growth and increasing importance of mobile internet use, which has now exceeded desktop internet use. We simply access the internet more, and more often, from our mobile devices now than from a traditional computer, and the trend only looks set to continue growing.

To determine what makes a site mobile-friendly, at least in their eyes, Google has provided a set of criteria. This includes avoiding software that is not common on mobile devices, such as Flash, and using text that is clear and readable without the user needing to zoom and move around the page. Content that is originally sized so that it fits on the screen without the need to scroll around the page is also a crucial requirement. Finally, links on the site must be arranged and placed far enough apart so that they can be tapped easily without the user accidentally selecting the wrong links.

In order to check, Google has provided a tool that tests whether a website is mobile-friendly or not. Does your site pass the Google test? If not, get in touch, as this will have a seriously detrimental impact on your business. Mobile users also tend to have a higher conversion rate than desktop users. In a study of 53 retail web sites, mobile-optimised sites converted 160% more than non-optimised ones accessed through a smartphone, so you simply cannot afford to ignore mobile optimisation. At Inspired we have expert knowledge and experience in responsive web-design which ensures sites are optimally user friendly for mobile use, just search for our own website on Google for their mobile-friendly label as proof.