Google is making a change on the SEO and indexing front and every business and person with an interest in maintaining an online presence needs to sit up and take notice and be sure they have a responsive website.
Google is moving to indexing mobile sites first. Previously the search engines went to desktop sites first, but with the majority of searches taking place on mobile devices, it just makes sense to head there first. It’s been a couple of years since mobile searches exceeded desktop searches, so, for once, I guess you could say that Google is behind. Be that as it may, they are catching up with the change now.
As always, they are starting out with a Beta project and will orchestrate the change overall in stages. But it is already happening, so if you see a change in your rankings, that might be one of the reasons. Google execs have said that they don’t think the indexing change will have “a significant impact” but the reality is, and they have admitted it, is that they don’t really know what the outcome will be.
A responsive website make sure your site is ‘mobile ready’
So now is the time for all businesses who have not made their websites responsive to get busy. Make the move in 2017, because Google is and you don’t want to be eating dust.
This change may have some repercussions on SEO practices, too. We don’t know exactly what those will be, but are anticipating some necessary changes to get the best rankings possible. Your webmaster can use Fetch as Google to see what the searchbots see when they scan your site.
One of the best developments with this change is that the “read more” sections embedded in your content is not going to get dinged. In fact, it seems that following that link is going to be a boon for business sites.
Everything changes, and it’s a challenge to keep up with all the changes. That’s one of the best reasons to have a webmaster working for you. Just like so many other areas of business, you can’t be an expert in it all, so leave the details to the experts. Find a marketing and web design group you trust and rely on their expertise to see you through the changes.
Now would be a good time to review the status of your website and how it’s working for you. Make certain it is a responsive website so that you have as little a disruption to your online presence as possible with these newest indexing changes from Google.
Bear in mind that indexing, algorithms and practices are ever-changing, so while this is the time to update to a responsive site if you haven’t already, make an annual review and updating of your site a regular practice. That way, you aren’t chasing little changes all year long, have an expert take a look a couple of times throughout the year, or when there is a significant change in your analytics.
Keep the saw sharp so it’s ready for whatever opportunity comes along!
