What this means for your site
If you are mobile friendly, this change should help get more free organic traffic from people searching Google.
If you are NOT mobile friendly, your traffic from Google will drastically drop. You could go from ranking on the first page of Google to not making the first 10 pages. All the years of building links, authority and traffic to your site could be erased instantly.
How to determine if you are mobile friendly
There are 2 easy ways to check to ensure that Google views your site as mobile friendly.
- Search for your site from a mobile device (phone, iPad, etc.) on the Google Search Engine. When the results come back, the first 2 words in the description should say “Mobile – Friendly”.
- From a desktop you can go to the Google Mobile Friendly Test site and enter your website address. It will tell you if your site is viewed as mobile friendly.
What to do if your website is NOT mobile friendly
Responsive sites have been around for years. The website recognizes the type of device you are using to view the site and formats it correctly. Gone are the days you have to pinch the screen to read the text. This responsive style site is what Google is rewarding.
If you are using WordPress, it’s most likely just a matter of updating your theme. Look for the word “Responsive”. There are free versions, or premium themes. Most will cost less than $100
If you are using a shopping cart, contact the company. Most companies now offer responsive sites standard to new customers. If your site started more than 3 years ago, they may still have you on an older theme. This is not something for which you should have to pay extra.
