Google is demanding all websites have a responsive web design no later than April 21, 2015. On this date, a change is set to be unveiled that will affect your website on Google. While it is uncertain how much of an impact it will have, it is safe to bet Google will show preferential treatment to all mobile ready websites.
Google is Checking the Entire Website
Just adjusting your home page won’t be enough. Google will run checks on CSS and JavaScript. If either of these are blocked on your website, it will not pass the inspection. It is important you provide Googlebot with access to both of these items and secure a pass from them.
Your entire website also must have a responsive web design. Each page needs to be adjusted so it is mobile ready. To safely pass, you can’t have just some or most of your pages changed by the April 21 deadline. Every page on your website must adhere to these new standards.
Mobile Devices Include Tablets
It’s important to understand that mobile ready websites don’t just cover your smartphone. Tablets also fall into this category. Having your website work for smartphones and iPhones in addition to desktop browsing won’t be enough. A true responsive web design covers all connected devices having the ability to browse your website.
Some key things to consider
- Images should be designed to work with different connection speeds and device types.
- Navigational patterns should be adjusted for mobile.
- Links and buttons should be created to be touch friendly.
- Fonts and sizes should be selected to work on all screen resolutions.
- Retina images should be used to improve the visual appeal of your website.
- Create a clean website the avoids clutter and provides a better experience.
Why You Should Care About Having a Mobile Responsive Design
Let’s say for a moment that you aren’t concerned about Google’s new requirement. Why should you care whether or not your website has a responsive design? First, you want visitors to have a positive experience while they are browsing your website.
With your layout optimized, a user on his or her phone won’t have to scroll back and forth just to read the content on the website. While today’s phones will zoom automatically, they may adjust text to be too small to read, making navigation frustrating.
A responsive web design ensures that all data on the website remains the same from one device to the next. The website retracts to fit the screen based on the device that is accessing it. With this type of website, you don’t have to worry about building a dozen websites for users to have the same experience.
Mobile usage is on the rise and more people are using their devices to handle the bulk of their browsing through this device. It is estimated that over 25% of Google’s searches are now coming from mobile devices. Within the next few years, mobile browsing will become the leading form of browsing in the world.
Help Boost Conversions
Mobile ready websites tend to experience higher conversion rates. When your website has a responsive design, you have a competitive edge. Most websites are slowly making the change. Unless you are actively reading tech news, you probably aren’t aware of this forthcoming requirement from Google. That means your closest competition likely isn’t aware of the change either. You are able to take advantage of this information in advance and use this knowledge to create a positive experience for customers. You then reap the rewards as customers have an improved experience on your website. That will translate into better sales for you as they are able to handle a transaction right there instead of waiting until they have a chance to get on a computer or finding another website which is mobile friendly.
What is the Next Step?
Understanding that mobile ready websites are important is only the first step. Actually having a responsive web design is another. So what is the next step in transforming your website? It’s as simple as contacting us.
Our team will transform your website so it meets the new demands of Google.