Advertisement
  1. SEJ
  2.  ⋅ 
  3. News

Google To Use Mobile Usability As A Ranking Factor In Mobile Search Results

Google To Use Mobile Usability As A Ranking Factor In Mobile Search Results

Google dropped a major announcement today stating that, as of April 21st, the search giant will be extending the use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal throughout mobile search results.

This change will affect worldwide mobile search results in all languages, and Google says it will have a “significant” impact.

This marks Google’s much anticipated step towards delivering primarily mobile-friendly sites in mobile search. If you follow Google changes closely, the signs had been building up over the past few months.

Google hinted at this back when it introduced an official set of mobile-friendly site criteria, along with a mobile friendly site testing tool to determine whether or not your site met Google’s criteria. The company said it may start using that criteria as a ranking signal in the future, and just a few months later here we are.

To ensure your site is still appearing in Google’s mobile search results after April 21st, run your site through the mobile-friendly testing tool. If your passes, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

If your site doesn’t pass, then the tool will recommend the improvements you need to make. In addition, you can use your Webmaster Tools account to get a full list of mobile usability issues across your site using the Mobile Usability Report.

Google also announced that starting today it will begin to use information from indexed apps as a factor in ranking for signed-in users who have the app installed. As a result, you may start to see content from indexed apps featured more prominently in search results.

Category News
ADVERTISEMENT
SEJ STAFF Matt G. Southern Senior News Writer at Search Engine Journal

Matt G. Southern, Senior News Writer, has been with Search Engine Journal since 2013. With a bachelor’s degree in communications, ...

Google To Use Mobile Usability As A Ranking Factor In Mobile Search Results

Subscribe To Our Newsletter.

Conquer your day with daily search marketing news.