Remember when Google’s Mobile-Friendly Update rolled out? Any website not mobile-friendly lost its place in the rank in the search engine page results (SERPs).
Today, we see exactly why Google did this – a whopping 60% of Google searches are from mobile users. And since Google’s sole mission is to provide users with the best experience, it has to ensure the search results consist of mobile-friendly sites.
So if your site isn’t currently fit for mobile use, then it’s time to make your website mobile friendly. Here’s what you can do today.
Understanding Today’s Internet Users To Make Your Website Mobile Friendly
It’s important to note that while many of today’s internet users are on mobile devices, desktops are still used. And many of today’s users switch from their mobile device to a laptop or desktop.
So with that in mind, let’s review the best option for making your website mobile friendly.
Responsive Web Design
This is the option Google recommends to website owners. A responsive website has a design that responds to the device accessing the site.
So if a user has a mobile device or desktop, they can access the site without issues. It does so by adjusting to the screen size, so buttons, menus and text are easier to read on any screen size.
Using Mobile Optimization Best Practices
Now, there are certain criteria your website must meet in order to be labeled a mobile friendly website in the SERPs.
Here’s a list of that criteria:
- No software not accessible on mobile devices (i.e. Flash)
- Readable text without the need to zoom in
- Page sizes are viewable without scrolling horizontally
- Links are far enough apart to allow tapping
Mobile Optimization Mistakes to Avoid
Now, there are a few common mistakes website owners make when designing and managing their website. For instance, blocking JavaScript, CSS or image files. Google advises against this and has done so for a long time now.
You also want to avoid inputting unplayable content. This includes content that is license-restricted or requires Flash player. Then check your redirects to see if they’re working properly.
Sometimes faulty redirects will send mobile users to the wrong equivalent of the desktop URL. And you want to find and remove any 404s that show up only on mobile devices. These are issues you’ll find if you decide to create a mobile version of your site rather than creating a responsive design.
However, there are mistakes you can make with a responsive design, such as placing irrelevant links on your pages. Or having pages that load too slowly.
Make Your Website Mobile Friendly
Now that you have some idea of what it takes to obtain a mobile friend web design, it’s time to make it happen. But if you’re not confident enough to go it alone, you can always work together with an expert.
At Optimum Systems Online, we have web developers who can build you a mobile-friendly site from the ground up. Or tweak your current site, so that it’s deemed mobile friendly by Google.
Get in touch with us today to see how we can help your website’s Google rankings!
