We’ve done a lot of sites for clients, and usually we set up Google Webmaster Tools for them, because there are a lot of good, useful tools there. If you have a website and use webmaster tools, and your site isn’t mobile-friendly, then expect to get a notice from Google sooner rather than later. Here’s what it looks like:
I’ve had three land in my inbox so far. We’ve made a lot of sites over the years, and there are many that we did long ago, long before mobile was something people were really thinking about.
But think about this – at least 25% of your visitors are coming from a mobile device. The times have changed, and we have to change websites to adapt. Google now considers mobile-friendliness a ranking factor, so if your site isn’t mobile friendly, then you may get a less favorable ranking.
How do you know if your site is mobile friendly or not? First, grab your phone and take a look. Still can’t tell (and don’t feel bad, many people can’t) do a Google search for your site in your phone. Google now tells you if a site is mobile-friendly right in the search results when you search on your phone. See the image below, the arrow points to the place where Google is telling the searcher that my site is mobile-friendly.
This isn’t going away anytime soon, so websites are going to have to adapt. What this means for the person who paid for a website five years ago? You will likely have to update!
Need help getting your site mobile-ready? We can help!
Amy Masson
Amy is the co-owner, developer, and website strategist for Sumy Designs. She's been making websites with WordPress since 2006 and is passionate about making sure websites are as functional as they are beautiful.