Google to boost mobile-friendly algorithm this May 2016

After the announcement of the mobile-friendly algorithm last April, it seems that Google is back to boost the effects of the ranking signal in aid of improving results and making them more relevant.

This update is due to begin this month (May 2016). Now if you are already mobile friendly then there is no need to sweat, however if you find yourself on the non-responsive side then you could risk your ranking going down. Here, we think that this is a good thing. Using mobile to search the internet has becoming increasingly popular and is now used more than a desktop computer.

Unsure if you are mobile friendly? Double check with this Mobile-Friendly Test from Google! Also, it may be worth checking out Google’s mobile guidelines.

If your panicking – Don’t. Google has stressed that high quality content can and will still contribute to ranking on mobiles. So, even if your site is not mobile friendly you may still find yourself moving through the ranks – Only if your content is optimised. You may be feeling relieved, however, a responsiveness of a site does impact whether a person will stay on your site or not which could affect your sales, conversions, and reputation. For example, you could find yourself on Page 1, however you might find yourself having a high bounce rate and low conversions. This goes to show that being on page one isn’t everything – although it does help – there are more factors to be aware of. Have you thought of getting a responsive website?

At this moment, it is unclear whether this is going to be a gradual roll out or instant. However, it is most likely to be a gradual roll out because the algorithm will need to assess every single page of a website. The last mobile-friendly update, April 2015, was labelled ‘Mobilegeddon’ because it was supposed to have a significant effect on rankings – however, some reported to not see much of an impact.

If you want to look into getting a responsive website, contact us and we will take a look! You don’t need to pay a single penny for a free website consultation – it’s on us!