Google’s Upcoming Algorithm Update Expected To Reshape The Mobile Search Landscape

In the ever evolving world of search marketing, there’s only one thing managers and strategists can expect; the unexpected.

Just when the search ninjas and gurus of the world start feeling comfortable with the type of campaigns they develop and execute, search engines like Google go ahead and change the rules of the game.

This time, the focus is on improving the search experience for ‘on-the-go’ mobile consumers, a particular category of consumer behavior that currently accounts for 48% of Google’s traffic.

Google’s own Webmaster Trends team announced on March 17 that the world of search/mobile marketing could expect a mobile-friendly ranking algorithm to launch on Tuesday, April 21, 2015.

How Will This Impact Search Listings For Mobile Consumers

The only direction offered for how this new algorithm will affect mobile search listings is just as vague as every other form of insight or recommendation given by representatives of Google.

One of the leading members of Google’s Webmaster Trends team, Zineb Ait Bahajji, alerted the world to the upcoming adjustment, simply saying that the update would have a “significant impact” on mobile search results.

Similar to past advice offered by Google’s former head of webspam Matt Cutts such as, “Create an online experience that is so great, we have to rank the website,” the concept is ultimately the same:

Create an experience that is built on relevance, meaning and value for your target audience in order to experience online success and maximize conversions.

How To Prepare

The best way for businesses and brands to prepare for this upcoming adjustment is to create an all-encompassing experience that allows qualified consumers to engage with their online destinations, from wherever they may be, as well as with whatever device they may use.

If businesses see that more than 50% of their total traffic derives from mobile or tablet devices, then make sure a responsive-friendly environment is set up so that users can enjoy a complete fluid experience.

Otherwise, this new update may just wipe out years of hard work dedicated to attracting mobile consumers.

Specific steps that should be taken are as follows:

• Perform a Mobile Optimization Audit to understand what specific areas of the ‘on-the-go’ experience needs to be supported for increased user-engagement and conversions. Making sure that all actionable icons are clickable and that each landing page aligns with the parameters of each consumer’s mobile device are key for maximizing everything from click-through-rate to transactions/conversions.

• Invest in a complete responsive design experience that allows online destinations to appear and function fluidly with every single type of mobile and tablet device.

• Embed all existing social media links on every page to allow for maximum exposure dedicated to word-of-mouth advertising and social link generation.

• Allow ‘click-to-call’ access for consumers to utilize. Making it as simple as possible for consumers to follow through with particular conversions by embedding actionable phone numbers on each primary landing page will go far for increasing immediate and monthly transactions.