New Google algorithm to punish non-mobile friendly websites

On the 21st of April 2015 Google will be making significant changes to its algorithm for mobile devices. Dubbed by some as ‘ Mobilegeddon’ the changes will mean that mobile usability is a much bigger factor when ranking a website in Google search results given on mobile phones.

On April 21, we’re expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. http://t.co/8LRo9a6gJh #WebmasterNews #mobilefriendly

— Google Webmasters (@googlewmc) February 26, 2015

On their official Webmaster Central Blog, Google have said:
“This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results. Consequently, users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.”

How will this affect my site?

If your website isn’t mobile friendly by the 21st April you may see a drop in rankings within mobile search results. This is because Google is looking to make user experience a dominant factor within its search results so if you don’t tailor your site to mobile users then you are not giving them a good user experience.

Will this change effect desktop results?

No, Google mentioned in a resent panel that these changes will only be affecting searches on mobile phones.

Do I need a mobile site as well as my current site?

No, instead of creating a separate mobile site your current site can be changed onto a responsive website. Not only will this make your site mobile friendly but will also make it user friendly on all devices from mobiles and tablets to laptops and desktops.

Unsure if your website is mobile friendly?

Check your site using Google’s mobile-friendly Test
https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/