Search engines have impacted the way we think about marketing in many ways. It's no secret that Google is one of the biggest players when it comes to online searches. Few people understand; however, just how important this giant can be and how much their services affect the Internet.
Why Does Google Make Changes?
Google's algorithm is based on how people search online. The most recent changes, also known as Mobilegeddon, were sparked by the boom in smartphone use. Smartphones have hundreds of features that rely on Internet usage, but their primary purpose is to help people find information on the go. They need the ability to access the Internet and all the websites on it.
There are several problems when it comes to accessing websites via smartphone. One of the most common issues is the layout or graphics, which aren't sized to fit a smartphone's small screen. Another problem is the text may be so small that we have to zoom in if we want to see the content. Several other issues, including loading errors, can occur. This causes a major inconvenience for the user, and Google saw that a change needed to be made.
Mobile-Friendly Websites and Responsive Designs
Many website developers have made mobile-friendly websites to help adjust to the increase in smartphone users. Responsive designs, or layouts that change based on the device accessing them, are able to give the best view for smartphone users. Mobilegeddon helped to rank websites that used responsive designs. Google has a very good intention to optimize websites for smartphone users hence it prioritizes mobile-friendly websites on the search results.
The Change
This search engine change may seem small, especially since many web developers were using mobile-friendly designs before Mobilegeddon. Websites that didn't make changes only saw a small decrease in traffic from the changes, but it was enough of a change for responsive designs to become a standard for websites.
Change isn't just mandatory for the user's sake. The system will analyze every website for its readiness to be accessed via mobile devices. If the system finds out that a certain website does not pass then it will give suggestions to improve that website to be more mobile-friendly. If the web owner doesn't comply, their site may not be displayed to certain users.
Other Changes to Become Mobile Friendly
While responsive designs were the primary concern of Google, web developers have to take additional measures if they want to be prepared for a more mobile-friendly future. For example, they will need to avoid using software that is not mobile friendly, such as Flash, because smartphones will be unable to play it.
A good thing about this change is that the results will not be permanent. It means that the website developers are still able to update their websites to be more mobile-friendly in order to be ranked high on the search results. It is because the new algorithm uses a real-time that will notice any changes that have been made. On the other hand, this also means Google can implement more changes to their algorithm later on.
Whenever powerful search engines like Google make a change to their algorithm, web developers must also change. Even a small decrease in traffic can be a high penalty for those who don't comply. Because of this Google has the power to change the way we think about web design and the Internet itself. Let Div Pixel answer all your questions and work with you to develop a unique web presence tailored to your business and your budget, click here to contact us today.