Mobile traffic now makes up the majority of all website traffic – we are, after all, a society always on the move so it makes sense that we browse as we go. To cater to mobile users, Google has been tweaking its algorithms over the last few months to help improve the overall mobile experience, and it’s essential that you’re aware of what’s going to get you on Google’s bad side post-Mobilegeddon.
1. Non-Mobile Optimised Sites
On April 21st 2015, Google’s most publicised algorithm change came into force, effectively shifting the focus of Google searches to favour mobile friendly websites. What constitutes a mobile friendly site, you ask? Since April, Google’s algorithm has been scanning websites to check for factors such as how easy text is to read, if a page will adjust to a mobile screen, and whether or not content can be viewed easily on mobiles. Websites that weren’t prepared for Mobilegeddon got a nasty shock when they started plummeting from Google’s page one – this is a risk you can’t afford to take.
2. Full Screen ‘Download Our App’ Ads
Let’s face it: none of us actually like those adverts that pop-up and take over the entire screen asking visitors to ‘download our app’ instead of using the mobile site. Well as of September 2015, this is something you need to reconsider doing – and fast. Google announced that it would be cracking down on interstitial ads from November, giving companies about two months to re-think their app download strategies.
3. A Slow Loading Experience
The crackdown on full screen mobile ads actually comes as part of a greater crusade against slow loading times on mobile sites. Google’s overall strategy will start to see more sites penalised for featuring content that makes mobile users wait longer than necessary – if you know you’ve got a lot of dense content that’s slowing your mobile site down, it’s time to go back to the drawing board.
4. Not Enough Keywords
Keywords are your friends! They should be included in your SEO strategy and be a) well thought out and b) relevant. Not enough websites are using keywords properly, but they’re just as necessary to reach mobile users as they are desktop users. Trust us: a few good keywords could work wonders for your brand online.
5. Too Many Keywords
And on the other side of the spectrum, we have websites who are either trying too hard or attempting to scam the system by putting too many keywords into their website copy. This is a fast track to facing Google’s wrath due to the fact that the copy sounds clunky and poorly written. Remember: if Google doesn’t think it’s a good read for web users, they’re going to penalise you for it – whether it’s justified or not.
Are you guilty of these mobile site sins? Get in touch with the Christian Michaels Agency for web design and SEO salvation – we’ll keep you on Google’s good side!