On April 21, 2015 Google released a mobile-friendly update to their search algorithm, which is designed to give mobile-friendly pages a higher ranking on Google mobile search results.
What does this mean? Most companies have a website that can be viewed on a smartphone, but the question is, how usable is that site on a mobile device? In 2015 GlobalWebIndex.net stated, “80{a74273ad0e75f200b46466b1415e6accc2aa46c9e4b9f352692bfad7dc0506c2} of Internet users own a smartphone.” When Google partnered with Nielsen.com they found, “48{a74273ad0e75f200b46466b1415e6accc2aa46c9e4b9f352692bfad7dc0506c2} of mobile research begins on search engines, not branded websites or apps.” A company’s viewable website will no longer be enough to top the pages of Google mobile search and will be replaced by sites who have invested in responsive website design. Those same sites will not only be rewarded on the front end with higher page rankings, but they could be benefiting on the back end as well. With “67{a74273ad0e75f200b46466b1415e6accc2aa46c9e4b9f352692bfad7dc0506c2} of people saying they’re more likely to make a purchase on a site that is mobile-friendly,” states ThinkWithGoogle.com.
How do you know if your website is responsive and won’t be overlooked by Google’s new mobile search algorithm? Take Google’s mobile friendly test and see how your current website stacks up. Creating a mobile version of a desktop site is not the right step in creating a responsive website. Companies need to understand their mobile user, making sure customers are able to accomplish their objectives, as well as be able to complete the most common of tasks on their website with ease. Increasing font sizes from 13 pixels to 15 or even 16 pixels, enlarging call to action buttons, reducing the size of large-scale photos and eliminating irrelevant copy, are some of the standard mobile practices that will create a better user experience on any mobile site. A company wants to reach as many customers as they can and keep them engaged on their site for as long as possible.
With responsive website design becoming more of a standard, some companies are still resistant to update their website. According to ThinkwithGoogle.com,“50{a74273ad0e75f200b46466b1415e6accc2aa46c9e4b9f352692bfad7dc0506c2} of customers said that even if they like a business, they will use them less often if the website isn’t mobile-friendly.” Now a company that thought they were only losing mobile customers could also be losing other loyal customers, simply by not investing in updating such a large marketing tool for their business.
If your company is ready for a marketing change, SDA Creative can bring your website up-to-date by using best web practices and responsive website design standards.
Understanding the importance of a fully functioning website to your business success and keeping your website up-to-date are vital to boosting your financial bottom line. SDA Creative has the tools and the know-how to bring your website up-to-date. Give us a call today and we can talk about what it would take to renew your website to meet the current demands of your customers and keep your electronic presence viable. SDA Creative can take your web problems and provide the solutions you need so you can concentrate on your business concerns and the things you do best. Call us at 949.493.5182 and we can get started.