3 min read">Google SEO Rankings Now Affected by Non-Mobile-Friendly Websites3 min read

mobile friendly website firm greenville sc

Mobile-Friendly Websites Rank Higher in Google Searches

Does your business really need a mobile-friendly website? Many small business owners feel that their current website is good enough for their Internet Marketing needs. In reality, without a mobile-friendly website, your business will be left behind for multiple reasons, including:

Lower Google search engine rankings (less visibility)
Negative perception of brand and business capabilities
Fewer customers and new leads who find and choose your business on the go
Higher likelihood of viewers leaving your site for a competitor

Keep reading for in-depth information about each of these points, starting with how Google’s new mobile-friendly guidelines (as of April 21) may hurt your small business’s search rankings:

Potential Google Penalizations?

Although Google is one of the best-known search engines available, the company does have competitors and continually tweaks its algorithms to provide Internet searchers with the best possible results. Many standard desktop-developed websites include images, content, and menu options that simply do not translate well on small screens. When a website is not mobile-friendly, searchers will not find it as useful and may use Google less for mobile searches. With that said:

Google wants to increase mobile search traffic
Non-mobile-friendly websites are less likely to be displayed as legitimate results
As of April 21st, mobile friendliness becomes a ranking signal
Due to the new guidelines, your company’s website may not show up in Google search results as high or often as it does now, lowering your click-through rates

Protect Your Image

Consumers are increasingly accessing the Internet from mobile devices, which means that anyone with a smartphone expects companies to have mobile-friendly websites. A great mobile website will help your viewers easily find what they want, boosting your brand’s overall image. In addition, businesses without mobile capabilities are likely to be skipped in favor of a mobile-friendly competitor.

Generate New Leads with Mobile Searches

Imagine this: a college student hops in his or her car and runs a quick Google search before leaving the parking lot. Whether he or she is searching for a local restaurant, a Laundromat, or anything in between, companies with mobile websites will enable the searcher to do the following straight from their phone:

Compare rates or view services offered
Check your business hours
View special offers or discounts
Click your phone number to call for more information
Click your address to map your location

By being present in Google’s mobile search results, your company will have a better shot at catching new leads on the go. In addition, more and more consumers are completing online purchases through their mobile browsers or applications than with a desktop or laptop computer. If your small business includes e-commerce, then having a mobile website that supports online buying are a must. If your businesses offer services instead of products, then mobile-friendly websites can similarly make scheduling a visit or book a service call simple.

Keep Viewers on Your Website

You understand how frustrating it is to have to zoom in and scroll around on a website not properly formatted for a small screen. Due to this frustration, new website visitors are extremely likely to leave a site quickly if it is not mobile-friendly. On the other hand, more visitors were likely to return to a mobile website thanks to its readability and ease of use.

A mobile-friendly website will also help protect your company against high bounce rates for consumers who are coming from other mobile applications and expect a mobile-friendly site.

How to Tell if Your Small Business’s Website is Mobile-Friendly

The easiest way to see if your small business’s website is compatible with mobile devices is with this Google-sponsored mobile-friendly test. If it is not, contact Bigfoot Media for help meeting Google’s new mobile-friendly guidelines by optimizing your website’s content or switching to a responsive design.