Mobile web usage has been on the rise ever since smartphones and tablets became accessible and affordable, and for years now, consumers have been using their mobile devices to make purchases, to stay connected with friends, and to find out about the latest news stories.
It’s no surprise that a business’s mobile web design — or lack thereof — is becoming increasingly indicative of the business’s overall success. It’s surprising, therefore, that so many businesses ignore the importance of a responsive and effective mobile web design; for consumers who are trying to find information about the business or make a purchase, it can be downright aggravating.
For this reason, Google announced back in February 2015 that it would be releasing another algorithm update in April, and would be focusing on mobile responsiveness. Now that the April 21 algorithm date is just a few weeks away, businesses are starting to realize that their mobile Web designs can’t be ignored any longer.
According to Google’s official statement on its Webmaster Tools blog post, it plans on “expanding [the] use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal…Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.”
As the Digital Journal recently noted, the fact that Google announced the date of its next update — and that the search engine company even explained exactly what would be changed — is an unprecedented move; in the past, businesses and marketing teams have been left out in the cold, scrambling to adjust webpages after a surprise algorithm was released.
On one hand, the early announcement is incredibly beneficial for businesses. Google has given businesses some valuable time to bolster their mobile webpages before the new algorithm destroys months of hard work.
But as one Business 2 Community contributor noted — “that [update] sounds scary.”
For businesses that continuously update their Web designs and focus on mobile design, it means that there will be a lot of new competition. For businesses that have neglected mobile Web, it means that there will be a lot of work to do come April 21.