Mobile Friendly Websites Prevail In Local SEO Rankings

Last Spring Google implemented an algorithm change that shifted the way it ranks search results — mobile-friendliness was made a ranking signal for all websites. This change came about from the explosion of mobile web use in recent years, which has only continued to increase since the new ranking factor was established. Mobile searches have now surpassed desktop searches on Google in several countries including the US. Other major sites are seeing similar traffic trends unfold: more than half of Facebook’s 1.7 billion active users exclusively visit the site via mobile device, and approximately 60% of Wikipedia’s unique visits were from smartphones in 2015. As a business owner, this information will impact your marketing and local SEO strategies. For your site to achieve high search rankings, and for you to connect with the customers who are searching for you online, you must have a mobile-friendly site. How do I know if my site is mobile-friendly? Google has created a Mobile-Friendly test tool that’s available to the public to test the mobile functionality of any URL. Here’s a screenshot of Kirk’s website’s results: http://www.kirkcommunications.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/mobile-friendly-test.jpg How can I make my site mobile-friendly? Mobile friendly websites are designed to display properly on mobile devices and tablets, often with simplified layouts that allow for faster loading speeds and ease of use. When creating a mobile website design, put yourself in your customer’s shoes. Think about the functionalities they’ll likely be looking for while using their mobile device on the go, and make those pages easy to access with straightforward navigation and clear headings. Since mobile devices have smaller displays, you should be conscious of making your layout and content easy to read. If you’re working with a web design and development company to create your mobile site, make sure they can provide samples of their work and references. Any experienced web design and development company should understand the functionalities needed in a mobile website design, and have statistics and success stories to back up there work. When done right, mobile website design boosts local SEO ranks and delivers a great return on investment. Contact Kirk, the best New Hampshire web design company to assist you in building a mobile website for your business to drive sales and customer satisfaction! Reach us at 603-766-4945 or send us an email info@kirkcommunications.com.