Rebekah Richards
Do you struggle to keep up with all of Google’s algorithm updates? You’re not alone. Every time you make an update to your website to adhere to Google’s guidelines, it seems like something new happens, and you’re back to the drawing board.
This never-ending game isn’t meant to frustrate you or hurt you. It’s meant to keep improving the search results that you and I (and your customers, of course) use to find information, products or services we need. So how often do you need to pay attention to updates? And what can you do to stay ahead of the game?
Focus on creating a fantastic experience for your customers, and the rest will follow. And to do that, you need to make your website mobile friendly.
The Latest Google Algorithm Update
Google recently announced a new update that rolled out (April 21, 2015). If you followed the above advice about creating a delightful customer experience on your website, you may or may not be in a good position to take advantage of this new update.
Google’s latest ranking signal released today requires businesses to have a mobile friendly website.
Before you breathe a sigh of relief, you might want to check what type of mobile website you’re using in your business.
Do You Have the Right Type of Mobile Website?
This might come as a surprise, but not all mobile websites are created equal.
In the past, some developers created a second website that catered to the small screens of mobile devices. These often looked different than the company’s actual website, which wasn’t welcome from a branding standpoint, but the approach worked. Or at least it worked back then.
Today, there’s a better type of mobile friendly website.
Instead of using separate websites with clunky buttons and confusing calls-to-action, high growth companies are opting for responsive websites. These are the websites that adjust in size, clarity, and search ability depending on the size of the screen they’re being viewed on.
A number of the world’s biggest brands are about to be punished by Google’s latest update to its search results algorithm — unless they quickly make their sites more mobile-friendly. – Lara O’Reilly
Benefits of a Responsive Website, According to Google
The best mobile friendly websites are responsive. That’s not by accident. 
In 2012, Google released a statement that confirmed the benefits of responsive design. According to the search engine giant, responsive websites are better because:
- They don’t require two domain names. Mobile websites forced you to purchase a separate domain, adding to the burden of creating this style of website. Responsive websites don’t require that inconvenience. You avoid a time sucking redirect, and you send all your website traffic to one URL. Simple!
- They can work on all screen sizes. When the iPhone 6 plus was released, people gawked at the size. Businesses with responsive website designs were ahead of the game. They could sit back and relax knowing that their website would still look good on this new and improved bigger screen. Mobile website owners didn’t have that same luxury.
Like you, Google’s main goal is to give their search audience the best experience possible with their business. To do this, they’re punishing the companies that hold onto outdated website design. Starting today, outdated website design could damage your business. As a high growth company, can you afford to take that website traffic hit?
The Bottom Line
You’ve grown your business quickly and successfully – don’t let that growth stop now!
Do you want to find yourself in the good graces of Google with today’s newest algorithm release? Don’t hesitate to get your website updated to a responsive format. Act fast so that you don’t see your competition scaling the ranks of search engine results, leaving you in the dust.
(224)
