Google recently announced that they would be splitting up desktop and mobile indexing to give mobile-optimized sites priority in ranking. While the details aren’t too robust at this point, this is something that Google has been hinting at for a few months, and something you’re going to want to be proactive about for the sake of your online presence.
How does Google rank my medical website?
When you place a site on the internet, one of the first things that done is indexing, or the placement of your site’s contents in a large, text-only database with (almost) every other site on the internet. Your site’s information is pulled into this database by a technique known as crawling, so it’s important that you have everything in great shape, otherwise you’ll index information that may not help you .
As your site and changes index, Google’s algorithm takes the stronghold and begins to rank you based on their rules and regulations. This specific algorithm can be updated nearly 500 times a year, so it’s important that you, or your SEO guru, are staying on top of any news and details surrounding what those changes may be.
What’s going to change?
The process above has always covered specific sites, and never looked at the device being used. Over the years, people have shifted to using their mobile device as the primary source for searching the internet, and because of this, Google is now breaking out their indexing process to include desktop and mobile as separate versions.
Just think, if you’re searching for something on your mobile phone you probably want answers quickly, right? For that reason, Google wants to give sites that are well optimized for mobile, and who follow the rules, the top ranking spots.
Will my rankings be affected by this update?
This is the million dollar question and the true answer, as with anything related to Google, is that only time will tell. It is practically mandatory at this point to make sure you have a mobile-compatible site, so follow a few tips and you should be safe from the upcoming adjustments:
Build a Responsive Site!
Responsive truly is the way to go right now, and should be something you consider immediately. Responsive sites, or sites that shrink to fit mobile versions, will not be harmed. Your site looks identical to what it does on the desktop, but follows all rules of mobile compatibility–can’t beat that, right?
Get a Mobile Version
If you’re sitting on an old site and don’t have the time or funds to make it responsive, one idea is to convert your site into a mobile version. While it’s not ideal, mobile versions will follow Google’s rules and help you when this change rolls out. Make sure that all of your pages are converted, though, or they’ll only rank for the desktop version.
Create Strong, Unique Content
Mobile or not, your content drives your website. If you haven’t updated your site in years, you’re basically telling Google that your site is asleep. Wake it up with some fresh, rich content that will keep both your mobile and desktop site afloat—if they’re both optimized properly!
For more information on how to keep your site ranking well, or to inquire about building a responsive site, contact Practis today!