It’s Mobile or Bust on the Interwebs

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re aware that as of April 21, 2015, Google has instituted a new process for ranking search engine results based on how well they think your site functions on mobile devices. If your site was mobile-optimized prior to this, you might have held your breath for a few seconds and then gone on about your day, but if you put off optimizing your site for hand-held devices, you certainly felt the seismic waves Google’s announcement set off. The use of mobile devices for internet surfing outpaced desktop computers early last year, and there is no reason to believe the trend won’t continue, so now’s the time to look at your site from a mobile user’s perspective.

If your website relied solely on overall content to rank highly on search engines, you might be sweating bullets if you fail to meet Google’s criteria for mobile friendliness. If your business relies significantly on internet traffic, your site is in danger of a precipitous drop in ranking that can affect your bottom line. And while desktop and laptop searches are not impacted by the new algorithms, the fact that smartphones and tablets now represent the majority of use is a key factor all savvy entrepreneurs should take into account.

The Writing On the Wall

The message is clear: the future of e-commerce relies on mobile devices and the mobile user’s experience. You want to be where your customers are; and in this day and age, that’s mobile. If you don’t have a mobile site, you risk disappearing from the bulk of searches altogether, and if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, your fate isn’t much better, as you risk getting lost in the rankings.

Say, What’s That Button Do?

Anyone who’s ever been on mobile to surf the net knows the joy of hitting the wrong button, not finding the right button, or scrolling endlessly only to miss the desired button. Customers don’t want to shop on sites where links don’t work, images disappear mid-scroll or are microscopic, or where navigation is confusing. Google’s move is designed to raise the bar on the metric known as User Experience (UX) in order to improve website functionality on mobile devices and avoid these pesky pitfalls.

A Seismic Shift

Goolge knew they would have a “significant impact” on search results for mobile users, yet even their doomsday prediction was understated. A week into the algorithm changes, data showed dozens of sites had fallen as much as 80% in the rankings, while mobile-friendly sites more than doubled their visibility.

The longer you take to get your site upgraded to these new standards, the farther your business is likely to fall in the rankings, since bots pick up changes in real-time and index immediately. So the question is, who will upgrade to honor Google’s new changes first, you or your competition?

We Got Your Back

We at Planet Media can ensure your website thrives in this new mobile frontier. Our Responsive Design experts and SEO and Content management teams will make sure your website stakes its claim on the Interwebs and stays there. With over fifteen years of experience in website design, web development, UI/UX, branding, custom programming, ecommerce, mobile applications, digital marketing strategy and web consulting, you’ll have a powerful team in your corner.

We offer complimentary discovery sessions for all new and prospective clients to ensure we can meet your business needs on time and within budget. Planet Media’s highly acclaimed work covers all business sectors and all sizes, from arts and film to non-profits and many more. We build more than successful online projects - we build long-term relationships with the goal of delivering 360 degrees of value and prosperity for all involved. Want results? Let’s talk!