Mobilegeddon Is Near – Is Your Business Ready?
March 19, 2015 - 7 minutes read - Mobile-Friendly Website, Website DesignGoogle is notoriously clandestine about their algorithm updates — well, usually they are. We’ve been helping businesses with their search engine optimization for nearly a decade and rarely have we heard Google so explicitly warn businesses that the Search Giant will be making a seismic shift that will dramatically affect rankings.
At the tail-end of February, they announced: “Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results.”
Yikes. The message is clear: Cater to mobile customers or face virtual obscurity by April 21st!
[easy-tweet tweet=”#Mobilegeddon is coming 4/21. Is your website ready? Find out in this #infographic” quote=”Mobilegeddon is coming 4/21. Is your website ready? Find out in this infographic.” theme=”style3″]
What We Know About Google’s Search Update, Mobilegeddon
Businesses can prepare for Mobilegeddon by:
– Reading Google’s mobile usability reports.
– Using the mobile friendly testing tool.
– Gathering tips from Google’s mobile guidelines.
– Contacting a digital marketing company that specializes in mobile web design to help.
Infographic Retrieved from: Business2Community
Mobile Site vs. Responsive Re-design
For businesses who have been reluctant to update thus so far, the announcement really does force one’s hand: give search users a better experience — or kiss your traffic goodbye! Yet, there are a few options in how you approach the update.
Standalone Mobile Website
Some businesses look for the cheapest, easiest way to hit their mark. If these are your goals, a dedicated mobile site is the way to go. Mobile sites are also excellent for businesses who want to use a “click to call” button to increase conversions. On the downside, you’ll need to perform recurring maintenance — including updating content on this new site, as well as your homepage and social media pages, fixing occasional errors, and re-configuring the site for any new web browsers that come out. Also, standalone mobile sites can look very different than desktop sites and also lack certain functionalities. This may confuse some viewers and can also lead to fewer conversions if your website forms are harder to find on mobile devices.
Responsive Website
On the other hand, maybe it’s been a while since you last updated the look and feel of your main site. Redesigning your site may be more expensive upfront, but there is also less maintenance over time, as it will comply with all web browsers and only one site needs to be updated. In the long run, the investment is worth it! Google, in fact, recommends a responsive redesign over a dedicated mobile site because they believe it is the most user-friendly option. Responsive websites actually perform better than mobile websites and they still provide all of the features such as “click to call.” Responsive websites also create a better user experience as your website appears similar across all devices. Overall, responsive websites are modern, SEO-friendly, 100% mobile-friendly, and more user friendly than non responsive websites.
[easy-tweet tweet=”How to make your website #mobilefriendly before #Mobilegeddon hits.” quote=”How to make your website mobile-friendly before Mobilegeddon hits.” theme=”style3″]
How Mod Girl Can Help
If you’re not up to speed with the latest Google Search requirements, then think of it as an opportunity to re-invent your brand presence online. Mod Girl Marketing can assess your existing site to see if a few basic mobile-friendly tweaks will be enough to keep your traffic from smartphone users satisfied. We can also give you a complete redesign if you worry that your current site is outdated or not representative of your latest offerings.
Unlike the many web design firms out there, Mod Girl Marketing is a full-service digital marketing company — meaning that we can help with any online marketing task from competitive research, keyword analysis, and developing a branding strategy, to content creation, search engine optimization, and social media.
We are unique from other digital marketing firms out there because we only take on a select number of clients at once so you receive more personalized attention and resources than other agencies may offer. You are not just another contract to us – you’re a partner and a friend! When you work with Mod Girl Marketing, we value your business as our own and work tirelessly to get you noticeable improvements that make closing sales a whole lot easier!
Mod Girl’s Mobilegeddon Special
From now until April 21st, Mod Girl Marketing is offering a Mobilegeddon Special. Any business that hires us to build a new mobile website or re-design an existing website will receive a free digital marketing strategy plan. The strategy (valued at $1500) includes:
- Keyword Research
- Competitive Analysis
- SEO recommendations
- Cross-channel marketing opportunities
From there, businesses may choose to implement the changes themselves or hire Mod Girl Marketing to help.
Companies who aren’t prepared for these changes will suffer a loss in traffic and search engine rankings starting April 21st! Don’t wait any longer, contact Mandy McEwen at Mod Girl Marketing to get started right away!
Tags: business branding, Business Marketing, Google, google algorithm, mobile website, mobilegeddon, Online Marketing, responsive website, Search Engine Optimization
