On April 21st Google released an update to their world-class search algorithm. Google, normally very secretive when discussing their search algorithm updates, is handling the latest algorithm change a little differently. This year Google is being very clear that its searches will begin to favor sites that are mobile responsive. Browsing the internet on mobile devices is becoming increasingly popular and Google’s update will aim to offer mobile users the best possible results. Google has encouraged webmasters to prepare for the April 21st shift and said the update will impact mobile search results considerably.
The update illustrates how important it is to utilize responsive design methods when creating a site. More and more individuals are accessing the web from all types of devices. Google is making it clear with this update that if you want to rank highly in search results your site needs to look great on any device. If your not sure how your site looks on a smaller screen size, theMobile Friendly Test Tool provided by Google is a good place to start.
There are other factors that you should consider when determining how well your site is built to rank with Google as well. One area that they likes to focus on is content creation. These days having a static webpage that has looked the same for the past 5 years will only get you so far. Google realizes that users want to see things that are new and exciting. For that reason your site should be updated on a regular basis to ensure that the content appears fresh. Regularly posting on a blog, adding more descriptive pages and updating the content shown on the homepage of your site are great ways to keep your site from getting stale.
A few other considerations to make when assessing your site:
Does my site have a user-friendly layout?
Do I have images and other forms of media included on my pages?
Are my focus keywords included in the url of the corresponding page?
Do I include my focus keywords in the body copy of each page?
Are there clear calls to action that will help a customer learn more?
If your site is not mobile-friendly yet or missing any of the other features listed above there are a number of different options to get it back in Google’s favor. Finding a professional web design agency is often the best way to go to ensure your site is performing as well as it can. Professional designers and developers will have a good understanding of what Google values and be able to apply the best practices to your site. Finding a web design service will also allow you to stay focused on other important tasks and not get to caught up trying to figure out the ins and outs of Google’s algorithms.