Mobilegeddon: Not The End of the Mobile World, Yet.
Three days after mobilegeddon, a nickname given to Google’s April 21st mobile-friendly algorithm change, many are left unimpressed with this supposed apocalypse. While Google did announce that the update could take as long as a week to rollout completely, many San Diego SEO experts and analysts have been unable to report significant change in mobile search results pages.
Lack of significant change can also be attributed to Google’s early announcement of mobilegeddon, which has allowed time for top ranking websites to implement mobile-friendly design. For instance, popularly referenced SEO resource, MOZ, isn’t fully mobile compatible, but the company has been able to quickly redesign their blog to be mobile-friendly. MOZ representatives have confirmed they are already seeing company blogs with the “mobile-friendly tag” on mobile devices, meaning Google is reprocessing new mobile-friendly pages quickly.
Webmasters Left Asking “Is This It?”
Yes, many webmasters are asking, “Is this really it?” Was mobilegeddon just a bunch of hype? There may be no clear winners or losers (yet), but some have taken to Twitter to share their thoughts and observations under #mobilegeddon, citing a handful of the world’s highest traffic sites to fall include Wikipedia, BBC, and Reddit. The Wall Street Journal also tweeted, “46% of Fortune 500 companies don’t have mobile-friendly websites,” so we may see more dramatic changes in the mobile landscape in the coming days.
This morning, John Mueller, Google’s Webmaster Trends Analyst, confirmed in an office hours hangout (around the 4 minute mark) that yes, the update is definitely rolling out. In some data centers, it has rolled out completely, while in others, it will take a little more time. From day to day, changes may be difficult to observe, but dramatic change will likely be seen when comparing website rankings from week to week. Our advice – be patient.
It’s All About User Experience
While many have viewed Google’s requirement for mobile-friendly websites as dramatic, world ending, and game changing, Google is simply affirming their mission of providing their searchers with the best user experience possible. Companies who have, and continue to, follow best practices — implementing responsive design, offering fast loading speeds, and creating easy to use websites — are rewarded because they are embracing a marketing approach that focuses on the customer and their needs.
If you’re still having trouble with the mobile-friendliness of your website, reach out to the trusted marketing specialists at Saba, Inc. Along with SEO and PPC services, we also offer web design and development in San Diego and can help update your current website to one that is responsive and easy to read on both desktop and mobile devices. Call 858-277-1717 and request a complimentary consultation today!