Google Mobile-Friendly Test: Will Your Business Website Be Labeled “Irrelevant” After April 21st?
I’ll be honest, generally as a CEO I’d say leave Google algorithm changes and website worries in the hands of your marketing specialists. However, Google’s upcoming changes are so big that they have done something completely out of character… they’ve warned us that it is coming.
Google has given your business a serious ultimatum: be mobile-friendly or be irrelevant. The SEO giant has officially warned the online world that:
“Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results”. [source]
The question is, will this huge change affect your business’ website?
The first thing you need to do is check to see if Google is classifying your site as mobile-friendly. Test a few of your website’s pages with this free online tool.
If you’ve got a green light from Google. You’re set.
If Google has currently labeled your site pages ‘not mobile-friendly’, move forward with these three steps:
Know your options. Go into this critical conversation with your marketing or IT department knowing today’s current website options, as well as a few key terms. Here are some helpful articles to get your research started:
- 5 Ways Mobile & Responsive Design Are Different
- 10 Reasons Your Site Needs Responsive Web Design
- Responsive vs Adaptive Web Design, Which is Best for You?
Talk to your team. Get insights from staff or colleagues you trust, then evaluate their feedback. If you don’t have someone to breakdown this conversation with, let’s connect on LinkedIn. I’m happy to set-up a meeting to review what this algorithm change means to your business and marketing strategy.
Start taking active steps now. Your website redesign just went from optional to critical. Start requesting website design proposals now to ensure you are not rushed when picking the optimum solution for your business’ needs.
We recommend you demand — yes, DEMAND — a dynamic website that expands, changes and grows with your business. If the agencies you’re considering working with don’t bring up these three topics as you discuss your website estimate, they might not be a reliable resource.
Having a mobile-friendly site is no longer a suggested best practice, as of April 21st it is a requirement. The process of redesigning a website can feel like an overwhelming hassle. The Cultivate team is here to help turn this required change into a positive opportunity.
Learn more about our web design services.
Connect with Cultivate on LinkedIn.
Schedule an appointment for a site review today: 262-373-4000