Here are 4 steps to ensure your site doesn’t fall prey to Mobilegeddon.

Step 1: Test your site. First, you can simply view your site’s listing in Google search results on mobile. If the “mobile-friendly” tag does not appear beneath your URL, your site needs to be updated. You can also enter a web page URL in Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to see how well it performs on a mobile device. If it passes, it may still need improvements before earning the “mobile-friendly” tag. 

Step 2: Learn what constitutes mobile-friendly. Google considers a page “mobile-friendly” if it does the following:
* Uses text that is readable without zooming
* Sizes content to fit the screen, so users don’t have to scroll horizontally or zoom
* Avoids software that isn’t necessarily supported on mobile devices (e.g. Flash)
* Spaces links far enough apart that the correct one can be easily tapped.

Step 3: Identify the right fix. Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and PageSpeed Insights detail your site’s issues, and there are a few options available to address them.

In order to be mobile-friendly, your site must be configured in one of the following ways:
* Responsive web design: Google’s recommended option, a responsive site uses the same HTML and URL across devices and renders the appropriate display for the user’s device through CSS.
* Dynamic serving: This configuration entails using the same URL but a different version of HTML to serve different device types.
* Separate URLs: This method serves different code to different devices using separate URLs, by employing HTTP redirects.

Even if your site is mobile-friendly, you need to ensure that Google sees it that way by signaling its mobile configuration. The process to do this will vary by configuration. 

You also want to ensure that Google’s algorithms can crawl your pages. Be sure to allow access to your page and its assets (JavaScript, CSS and image files) for Googlebot to crawl. Refer to Google’s Mobile-Friendly guide for detail on these and other pitfalls to avoid.

If your site was built on a CMS (e.g. WordPress), your options may include:
* Convert your existing site to a new mobile-friendly theme (could require just a simple update process, depending on your CMS and what’s available).
* Create a new mobile-friendly version of your site, keeping your desktop site the same.
* Customize your site to make it mobile-friendly (will require CSS, HTML knowledge).

Be sure to backup your site before updating it or making any changes. 

Step 4: Make it a priority. Mobilegeddon is just days away, so making your site mobile-friendly should be a top priority now — not later. As a ranking signal for search results, mobile usability will be an important factor in where your site shows up in search results on mobile devices, allowing you to gain much better visibility come April 21. Plus, you’ll deliver a better search experience to the growing number of mobile users.

Rich Pearson is SVP of Elance-oDesk. In his role overseeing the international strategy of the company, Rich travels the world learning about and sharing insights on the future of work. He also manages the company’s business development with partners including the World Bank, SamaUSA, the World Economic Forum, and the Rockefeller Foundation. Prior to joining Elance-oDesk, Rich led business development and marketing at Posterous through its acquisition by Twitter, and he previously held senior roles at Yahoo, Attributor, Homestead, Segasoft, and Del Monte Foods. 

HD Digital Security Camera Systems
Custom Website Design and Deployment
Search Engine Optimization
Complete Website Design
Web Hosting
Website Statistics & Monitoring
map

USA Phone: 763 767 8500
Email: tom@jtworldwide.com
Sales Office address:
7649 (Old) Central Avenue NE
Fridley MN 55432

Phil Phone: (02) 955 0321
Email: chona@jtworldwide.com
Sales Office Address (Phil):
106 Taurus Street Esperanza Hts.
Subd. Novaliches Caloocan City 142

Jtworldwide.com

Org chart

Teams

Offices

Jtworldwide.com

Org chart

Teams

Offices

Related companies