On April 21st, Google rolled out an update to its search engine algorithm, which is not a rare occurrence in itself. Google is always updating its algorithms. But this particular update is significant. Now, if you are conducting a search on a smartphone, Google’s search results will give higher rankings to sites that are mobile-friendly. Helpful, right? In this day and age, who wants to constantly pinch-to-zoom on a phone to read anything on a website?
This change to giving mobile-friendly sites preference is a clear shift in Google’s ideas of where the Internet is headed and the message clear: user experience matters. In a statement to NPR, Google spokeswoman Krisztina Radosavljevic-Szilagyi said, “As people increasingly search on their mobile devices, we want to make sure they can find content that’s not only relevant and timely, but also easy to read and interact with on smaller mobile screens.”
In this new user-friendly/mobile-friendly approach, it has made the importance of utilizing responsive web design even more crucial. Surprisingly, many big name companies, including some Fortune 500 companies, will find their sites ranking’s drop because they have not invested in making their sites mobile-friendly. This presents a clear opportunity for small companies and businesses to take advantage of this algorithm update, especially if their client or customer base is constantly on the move. So hop to it, and get your site mobile-friendly now. There is no better time than now to take advantage of getting your site getting seen more by mobile users.