Have you heard the news? Google will start rolling out a new update to its search algorithm on April 21, 2015 having to do with mobile ready websites.
If your health website is not mobile ready starting on April 21st, then your site risks the possibility of being dropped in the Google search results.
What does “mobile ready” mean?
Mobile ready simply means that your website has the ability to be easily viewed on mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. If you have never bothered to look, take a moment to look at your site on your laptop or desktop computer. Next, upload your site onto your smartphone or tablet. If your site is mobile friendly, then the layout of your website may look slightly different from that of your laptop or desktop computer. In particular, the menu should be much easier to maneuver from one page to another. The site should also fit comfortably onto your mobile device without having to scroll back and forth a lot to read the information.
Why should I care if my health website is mobile ready?
Two reasons…
- It’s a good idea to stay in Google’s good graces so that people searching for your books, products, and services will be able to find you. Getting dropped lower into the search results may mean that you won’t be visible to potential clients and patients.
- People often use their mobile devices to look for health information on the go. This could be while making a purchasing decision between 2 health food products at the grocery store, while seeking medical help during a medical emergency, looking up prescription pill information at the pharmacy, asking a question in an online health forum, etc. If your health website is not mobile ready, you miss out on lots of opportunities to receive traffic to your website.
How do I know if my site is mobile ready?
The good news is that many sites today are already mobile ready If your health website is built on a WordPress theme, then your site is more than likely already built to be mobile friendly. If you are using a free website, I suggest you double check with the company you are using for yourself. You can easily verify if your health website is mobile friendly by checking out this Google Developers’ site: https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly. You simply plug the address of your website into the designated space on the page, click on “ANALYZE,” and let the tool do all the work. If someone else designed your site for you, you can always go back and ask them if you’re confused.
The good news is that either your website is mobile ready — or it is not. There is no real list of parameters you need to stick to.
Halona Black is a Writer & Book Coach who works with wellness entrepreneurs who are ready to share their million dollar story. You can find her at DigitalWellPublisher.com.
