They Call It “Mobilegeddon”

The New Mobile Friendly Website Guidelines

Mobilegeddon is a world (wide web) epidemic of traffic and rankings falling as a result of the newest Google mobile website guidelines. For the past few years, analysts, website owners and webmasters like us at Intact Info have complained that Google was too vague in their descriptions of what they wanted and how their updates would affect websites. With the latest Google update addressing mobile users, dubbed “Mobilegeddon” by SEO communities, webmasters have received updates telling them exactly which pages of their mobile sites are out of guideline and, most importantly, they are given clear, concise guidelines to follow.

How This Update is Different From Penguin, Pigeon & Hummingbird

Unlike the Penguin, Pigeon and Hummingbird updates, which Google rolled out in 2014, “Mobilegeddon” relates specifically to design and has some clear guidelines to follow. So far in 2015, Google has stayed true to its nature and responded to its users with a trend towards better communication. In fact, Google has never been so transparent in what they are asking from website owners and has provided examples of websites that they want to, and can, navigate. In the past few years, we have seen the extensive growth of documentation and supportive tools on Google Webmaster Guidelines section to help increase the awareness of what Google (and its users) want from website owners.

Mobilegeddon, is it really the end?

If you don’t plan on following Google’s guidelines for mobile-friendliness on your website, you will probably see some big drops in mobile traffic and rankings very soon. But don’t let the name fool you. Your website’s local results will still continue to be displayed regardless, but you should not rely on this alone. Google’s search ranking factors are so tied together that even your desktop organic search traffic may feel this update. “Google has said this update won’t impact the “local pack” results […] but Google’s local listings are hardly the only driver of traffic to local business websites.” Search Engine Land

While website owners who do not comply with the new mobile website guidelines by Google are and will continue to be penalized with poor exposure (if any at all!) in Google search results, it is a straightforward fix for website owners willing to comply and address the ever growing mobile user population, a move most business owners need to make if they want to continue to compete in our current digital marketplace. As an added bonus, business owners who do comply will also see an improvement in mobile organic search rankings.

“As people increasingly search on their mobile devices, we want to make sure they can find content that’s not only relevant and timely, but also easy to read and interact with on smaller mobile screens,” a Google spokeswoman said.” – Wall Street Journal

An Example of a Google Webmaster Tools Notice:

Never before has it been so clear on how to get your website back within Google’s good graces after an update! For us analysts, this is a breath of fresh air. Finally, detailed design and code guidelines provided by Google arm us with the ability to quickly and easily create a mobile site that is, without a doubt, within mobile guidelines.

The Immediate Solution – A Custom Mobile Website

If your mobile site is not within Google’s guidelines and you need an immediate solution that won’t require months of design and coding for a responsive, full website redesign, we have the perfect solution for you. A small affordable, 1 to 5 page mobile website designed for marketing within Google Webmaster Guidelines will do the trick and is a great place for most local businesses to start their mobile SEO journey. While not responsive, it will get your site within guidelines quickly without the need for a full redesign and is custom made to address your users’ needs.  Some drawbacks are that mobile websites only address the needs of smartphone users (not tablets) and are usually limited to a selection of pages offered on your full desktop website.

The Long Term Solution

It’s always better to be proactive and anticipate the needs of your future users. If your current website needs a facelift and is in the 5-20 year old mark, it may be time for a redesign anyways. Old code slows down a site and often does not comply with new Google Webmaster Guidelines. Making your website responsive eliminates a great deal of maintenance costs found with custom mobile sites because your website automatically adjusts to the user’s device, whether on desktop, tablet, or mobile. A responsive redesign not only enhances your website in terms of design and marketing elements, but it also addresses SEO elements that cannot be addressed in any other way.

Don’t Lose Traffic to Mobilegeddon

Don’t get punished for not being mobile friendly. Get a Google-approved mobile friendly website designed to bring you more business.

Contact us or call 1.888.986.7736 to get started today.