For the first time ever Google announced a significant change to their secret algorithm sauce. As of April 21, 2015, mobile-friendly websites will rank higher in search results. This is significant not just because of ranking, but because Google understands that we have become a mobile-first world.
What it means for your website. Mobile has now surpassed desktop in website use and importance. (How many people do you see with a laptop in their pockets?) If you are a small business, it means it is essential to have a responsive website that adapts its design to the device a user has. When you look at your website, use your phone first. Is it easy to navigate? Can users get to your action pages quickly? Are your most important items at the top of your page? Do the images scale to the smaller size? If you had your website built five years ago and haven’t changed it since, there is a good chance that it is not mobile-friendly. Time to get to work.
Digging deeper. An article on Search Engine Watch makes a good case for going mobile because of Google’s announcement. For web developers and designers here’s three actions from Search Engine Land to take to makes sure you website is mobile friendly.