Get mobile for more business

When Google talks, people listen. Because if you don’t, you may lose business.

That was the message to marketing professionals in late April, when Google unleased its latest algorithm changes, which greatly impact mobile search engine results – and ultimately, site traffic and business. The change went into effect April 21, and now sites that are mobile-friendly receive higher rankings and appear higher up in the searches on mobile devices, effectively earning an increase in traffic. On the other side, if your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’ll be penalized, regardless of how much search engine optimization you perform.

So what does all that mean? Basically, if you strip away all the “tech speak,” it means you need to have a Web site that looks and performs well on mobile devices.

Last year, approximately 50 percent of Google searches were done on mobile phones, a staggering amount. Having a Web site that meets the demands of these users is vital in attracting traffic, and being at the top of search listings is key.

At a recent tech summit in Arizona, I attended a forum on search engine optimization and it put the importance into focus – 71 percent of those who search Google click on one of the first five listings, meaning mobile optimization is critical.

This summer, the Mat-Su Convention and Visitors Bureau is redesigning its Web site to go to “responsive design.” This important trend is not specific to the tourism industry, however.

Responsive design is simply a Web site design and architecture that scales to the device that is being used. A desktop computer layout scales down and rearranges content if viewed on an iPad or other tablet, and then further scales down when viewed on a smartphone. All the content remains, but it is presented in a visually pleasing and user-friendly manner.

The goal of the algorithm change, according to Google, is to “find content that’s not only relevant and timely, but also easy to read and interact with on smaller mobile screens.” Responsive design fits that description exactly.

For the Mat-Su CVB, this is important because the site is used not only for research by travelers prior to their trip, but also in-market for making decisions. By providing these in-market visitors with relevant information and appearing at the top of Google search rankings, we’re able to drive these visitors to local businesses that provide what they are looking for.

Staying on top of these technological trends can be a challenge for small business owners with a limited budget. The first thing you can do to check your Web site is enter it at www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly to see if your site is up to speed with these changes. Secondly, you can contact your local Web site host to see if there are low-cost resources available to transition your site. Many have tools available to help you.

At that forum in Arizona, one thing the presenter from SimpleView Inc. told the group stood out – “As long as search engines exist, search engine optimization will be important,” Erin Lair said. “Invest in good content, and think mobile, and think about the users first. You can’t go wrong with that."