Don’t lose out in Google ranking shift
7th April 2015

Businesses depending on SEO to source customers have been warned to watch out for a massive shift by Google that could severely hit their search rankings.

Just two weeks from now (April 21), the search giant will launch a major update that will significantly benefit mobile-friendly websites – but severely penalise those that are not.

In industries such as windows and other home improvements, where good SEO ranking could be make or break, companies are being warned to take the changes very seriously. Digital Specialist The Consultancy, is advising companies to check if their website is responsive, and if not seek help immediately.

Director Richie Thornton said: “This is a massive shift in Google’s ranking process and will affect companies’ appearance in mobile search results if they don’t conform.
“Although Google is notoriously secretive about its algorithm and ranking page factors, what we do know is that it likes websites to have one URL across all platforms. This means your website should be able to be accessible with a desktop, smartphone and tablet using one web address.

“On top of this, if users are trying to visit a page only available on a desktop rather than show a ‘Mobile-only 404’ page, users should be re-directed to the desktop page on their device.

“App ‘interstitials,’ which are the pop-ups on web pages asking you to download an app, will also be frowned upon for disrupting the mobile user’s experience.”

In addition to this, the search engine has also identified a list of common mistakes on mobile browsing to rectify. These could be anything from updating a simple file or removing blocks on files to having to implement a fully responsive mobile design.

He added: “Companies need to be aware of these changes or they could be losing out to their competition.
“UK internet users spend an average of 1.9 hours per day online using a handheld device so to be missing from mobile search results could have a big impact.”

www.theconsultancy.co.uk