Google Changed The Rules, and You Weren’t Prepared.
Now what?
April 21st, , Google changed their algorithm to heavily favor mobile-responsive websites and to penalize non-responsive websites. If you weren’t prepared, you have noticed or will soon notice a drop in Google’s search rankings if your website is not compliant. Do not despair! Here is a simple two question guide to help you know what to do next:
- On what platform is my website built? – This is critical. Some web platforms can be adapted to be mobile responsive, and some cannot. Most custom websites can be modified to respond and adapt to mobile devices, but a lot of template based websites cannot (for example, GoDaddy template sites cannot be changed to adapt to mobile).
- Will my website SEO? – Even if your site can be made mobile responsive, there are some platforms that are super difficult to optimize for search engines, so you are going to be fighting an uphill battle. Examples of responsive platforms that do not SEO well are Tumblr, SquareSpace, and Wix. If this is the case for your website, it would be in your best interest to create a new site in a responsive, SEO friendly web platform. At Impact Media, we offer custom websites using the Bootstrap framework, which is mobile responsive web design from the ground up and SEO friendly out of the box. We also recommend WordPress for a budget friendly alternative that is also SEO friendly and responsive capable.
This isn’t the first change Google has made, and it won’t be the last. In the words of Winston Churchill, “To improve is to change, to be perfect is to change often.”
Let us know how we can help.
