Google is making big moves in the world of mobile responsiveness as seen in their recent efforts to target webmasters lacking mobile-friendly sites. In January, the tech conglomerate issued notices to webmasters if their sites were not mobile responsive. The message: get with the program. These mass notifications warned that sites or pages lacking this now crucial feature would not rank well in mobile searches.
It’s really no wonder Google has taken such an interest in mobile responsiveness. New data suggests this is an area that can no longer be ignored.
The facts:
- As of December 2014, U.S. smartphone usage is at 75%, up almost 10% from 2013.
- In late 2014, mobile traffic surpassed desktop traffic for the first time.
- According to Nielsen, 87% of smartphone and tablet owners use their mobile devices for shopping.
- Google’s research shows that 94% of smartphone owners use their device for local searches.
- Of the 94% who search for local information, 84% take action based on said searches.
More consumers are using their mobile devices to browse and shop, so it makes sense Google would cater to the ever-changing consumer market. Though the company has yet to confirm if there will be a definite mobile algorithm released soon, changes are definitely underway. The search giant has made claims that they have conducted and created usability reports, testing tools and web labels to study mobile responsiveness in the past. The fact that Google continues to do this leads us to believe that mobile-friendliness is now overwhelmingly necessary.
Team Up with Us
With Google’s focus on the mobile user, all signs are pointing at mobile responsiveness being the next big thing in web development. To get your site up-to-date, team up with us. We understand that the ultimate goal of any website is to deliver the best possible user experience, and we can help you achieve that. We can offer design solutions to make your website mobile-friendly and ready for whatever algorithm or update comes your way.