Google plans search algorithm update with more mobile focus
Make sure your site is mobile friendly, or your search ranking will suffer even more
Google will be pushing out an update to its search algorithm in May that will further take into account the mobile versions of websites to determine their search ranking.
The firm first introduced a major change to its search algorithm last year to focus on mobile sites, in a move that increased the pressure on firms with non-friendly mobile sites to ensure they were optimised for tablets and smartphones.
Now Google has confirmed another mobile-focused update is coming with Klemen Kloboves, a software engineer for the firm, writing in a blog post that mobile-optimised sites are now imperative to a good web experience.
"Getting good, relevant answers when you search shouldn't depend on what device you're using. You should get the best answer possible, whether you're on a phone, desktop or tablet," he wrote.
"Today we're announcing that beginning in May, we'll start rolling out an update to mobile search results that increases the effect of the ranking signal to help our users find even more pages that are relevant and mobile-friendly."
The good news is that firms that already have mobile-friendly sites should not need to do anything, but those that fail Google's test will be further punished.
"If you've already made your site mobile-friendly, you will not be impacted by this update," wrote Kloboves.
"If you need support with your mobile-friendly site, we recommend checking out the Mobile-Friendly Test and the Webmaster Mobile Guide, both of which provide guidance on how to improve your mobile site."
The one reassurance for mobile laggards that Kloboves offered was that the content of sites would still be the most important factor for determining how a page is indexed.
Nevertheless, organisations that have yet to optimise their sites for mobile devices should get a move on, especially as many users prefer accessing content via mobile devices, especially for buying goods.