Mobile Friendly Websites More Important Than Ever

 Posted on October 16,2015 in Mobile-Friendly Sites

In the wake of Google’s so-called “Mobilegeddon” algorithm changes earlier this year, mobile friendly websites seem to have experienced the boost that most experts were expecting. Conversely, sites considered non-mobile friendly suffered a drop in Google-driven traffic, which, in turn, led to higher expenditures on mobile-search ads. While the effects of the April update were not immediately evident, as weeks and months passed, the importance of a mobile friendly website has become increasingly clear.

Quantitative Analysis

As predicted, in the weeks following the algorithm change, non-mobile friendly websites saw double-digit decreases in traffic from mobile searches. According to a report by Adobe Systems which tracked more than 5,000 sites of all types, the drop was as high as 12 percent in the first two months. To offset the loss in organic traffic, site owners felt compelled to purchase more mobile-search advertisements from Google, ultimately driving the price of such ads up by as much as 16 percent.

A separate, larger-scale study confirmed that the changes had the intended impact, at least on search rankings. A review of more than 50,000 sites found that, as Google promised, non-mobile friendly sites fell markedly in search rankings, while sites designed to be mobile friendly enjoyed fairly significant gains.

Why Mobile Friendly?

Every single day, Google processes more than 3.5 billion searches, the majority of which are now conducted on some sort of mobile device. This means that users are utilizing cell phones and tablets to access online information as much or more than desktop and laptop computers. However, their needs remain essentially the same: an informative, productive user experience that connects the user to the data for which he or she is seeking without unnecessary complications. A website that cannot offer this to mobile users will quickly be ignored in favor of one that can. As a result, the user’s impression of the company is also likely to be affected, as a non-mobile friendly site presents the image of a business that unprepared and uninterested in meeting the 21st Century needs of consumers.

If you are the owner of a company or firm whose website has not been optimized or designed for mobile use, it is not too late. Contact the web design professionals at OVC, INC. today. Since 2008, we have been providing state-of-art content marketing services, including mobile friendly websites, for lawyers across the country. Our experienced team can help you improve your online reach, while using innovative techniques to increase your search rankings and resulting traffic. Call 630-635-8000 to schedule a consultation and get the mobile friendly website you need to remain competitive in today’s online marketplace.

Sources:

http://www.thegazette.com/subject/news/business/digital-marketing-consumer-love-affair-with-mobile-continues-20150927

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/07/15/googles-mobilegeddon-was-a-big-deal-after-all/

About the Author: Greg Wildman is the President of OVC, INC. Since 1999, Greg has developed hundreds of websites for attorneys from his company's inception as Online Video Concepts, LLC to the modern era's OVC, INC. Greg's knowledge of law firm marketing has helped many attorneys establish online presences through custom website development, Search Engine Optimization, legal directory partnerships, social media marketing, content writing and more.