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Prepare for Google's Mobile First Index Update

As a marketing professional or a business owner, you know that Google has the ability to make or break your business. Your position on a Google website can mean the difference between lots of customers and no customers, lots of business and no business, many sales or terrible sales. Making your website more search engine-friendly is important for ensuring success, especially if your business relies heavily on web traffic or online sales.

Mobile First Index Update: What You Need to Know

Google's index update, coming sometime soon, will be changing the way that the search engine giant organizes its searches. When the mobile first update goes through, Google's search index will use the mobile version of websites to rank its content.

If you don't have a mobile version of your website, Google will still search for and index your site. However, Google will assess your website from the perspective of a mobile user. Sites with slower processing speeds, for example, will rank lower than sites with higher processing speeds.

So...This Is Happening When, Exactly?

Google has not yet set a firm date for mobile first indexing. All we know at this point is that it's unlikely to happen before 2018. If you make the guess that the index update will occur sometime in the first half of the next year, this gives your business between 6 months and 1 year to be completely ready.

Getting Mobile Friendly Fast

If you don't already have a mobile version of your website, making a mobile version may take some time. However, there are small things that businesses can do to make their website more mobile friendly, even as they're developing a complete mobile version of their site.

  • Shorten your text. Mobile users like short text. Short paragraphs, concise sentences and condensed language helps mobile users find what they want as quickly as possible.
  • Shorten the load time. Dense, complex code bogs down websites, and long load times are a no-no in a mobile friendly world. If your website is older or your website's code is a little too clunky, your website will take a hit in the Google rankings when the new indexing takes place. Work with an experienced web design professional to make your website's load times faster for users.

Make Mobile Responsive Web Design Your Long-Term Goal

Mobile responsive design is a type of web design that can be viewed across all platforms. Instead of maintaining two sites (a desktop and mobile version), your business can have one single responsive website that works on mobile devices, desktop devices and tablets. In our increasingly mobile world, this is the ideal approach to web design. Having one website for all users ensures a balanced and optimal experience for everyone, reducing customer frustration and helping to ensure a good experience for all visitors to your site. If you don't have a mobile responsive website now, plan to have one soon.

Work With Your Online Marketing Professional

At ProFromGo we are a full-service online marketing firm that helps businesses inside and outside Pittsburgh to boost their web traffic, brand recognition and online sales. We can help your business get ready for the mobile first index update coming up next year. To get started with your mobile friendly or mobile responsive site, contact us today for a consultation at (412) 530-5027.

Chris Vendilli
About the Author
Chris is the founder and CEO of Vendilli Digital Group. In his free time, you’ll find him camping, fishing, or playing beer league ice hockey with a bunch of guys who refuse to admit they’re already over the hill.
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