Author | Chatmeter TeamDate Posted | December 21, 2018

Local SEO Strategies for Google’s New Mobile-Friendly Update

Mobile search is heating up and Google is responding. Last month, Google announced its plans to expand the use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. According to Google Webmaster Central Blog, two important changes to help users discover mobile-friendly content include more mobile-friendly websites and more relevant app content in search results.

Starting April 21st, websites with mobile compatibility and mobile app connectivity will be awarded higher rankings in search results than those without. This will only apply when people are using their mobile phones to search. Rankings will remain unaffected if people are searching with their computers or tablets. This update will make it easier for users to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their mobile devices.

Google has already begun tagging sites as mobile-friendly on mobile searches.

What does this mean for you? If your website isn’t mobile friendly, your search rankings will be penalized when people are searching on their phones. To find out if your page is mobile-friendly, take Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test! If your site does not pass this test, you will need to start updating soon. For tips on making your site mobile-friendly, check out Google’s Mobile Guide!

What can you do? Google is constantly changing their algorithm. In order to best determine if you are affected by changes, you should be tracking your rankings. If you’re a local business or retailer, you need a local SEO rank tracker. For more info on this, click here!