How to Fix Your Mobile Issues Before Google's Next Update

Shawn Fitzgerald March 20, 2015

You know that nudge I gave you last month about fixing the mobile issues with your website ASAP? Well, if you haven’t already taken my advice, it’s better now than never — because Google officially announced April 21 as mobile Armageddon.

CorrugatedMetalsresponsive “Mobilegeddon,” as it’s more affectionately known, is the result of Google’s ambition to provide users with more mobile-friendly search results. Essentially, the algorithm is adapting to the widespread usage of multiple devices and is going to address the poor user experience that folks have been enduring from outdated web designs.

That’s right — despite the fact that Google sees your content as valuable and relevant for results on a desktop monitor, if your site displays poorly on mobile devices you're going to get the boot from mobile search results.

The company is taking drastic measures to serve the trend toward mobile use. Even if you don’t think your users are mobile, trust me — they are. This trend isn't going to reverse, so neither will this algorithm change. Best to embrace it and act as quickly as possible to ensure the continued success of your manufacturing business online.

And as I mentioned before, this could be detrimental to that precious traffic you’re getting, and it’s time to resolve any conflicts. This is pretty much a no-brainer. Google has offered up a mobile-friendly test and allowed owners to access a Mobile Usability Report — so be sure to take advantage of it.

Still confused as to what you need to do to your website? You need to make sure your website is using a "responsive design." This means there is only one version of the code for your site and it reacts to whatever size display its given and adjusts the content and layout accordingly. Here are a few example that are hot off the press from the ThomasNet RPM team: