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It’s one of those announcements that can easily be missed if you don’t have a better than average understanding of the technical aspects of how your website works. In the dynamic world of digital marketing, rapid changes to how customers receive and respond to marketers’ messages come and go on a seemingly daily basis, but while new tech introductions may come about quickly, the full impact of their introduction may evolve over time. Google recently announced that beginning July 1, 2019, mobile-first indexing will become the default for all new web domains. For quite some time now, users have been moving away from desktop computers and gravitating towards using mobile devices to access the internet. According to Google, more searches are now performed on mobile than on desktop.
Other studies indicate that up to 70 percent of emails are opened from mobile devices and at least 78 percent of smartphone users and 70 percent of tablet users report performing at least one search per day on mobile devices. It is clear, to remain relevant, all content must be mobile-optimized. Creating content that is optimized for mobile will improve site performance, result in users spending more time on a website and increase page views and conversions. Creating a strong user experience that optimizes content delivery over mobile devices may require some fundamental modifications to an existing site.
Make sure all videos are high-quality and closely cropped to maximize detail, even when resized to fit a smaller screen. Content should be scrollable and easily navigated by mobile users. Avoid the “fat finger- small button” syndrome. Buttons should be large enough to be comfortable to a user and just efficient enough to accommodate smaller mobile screen sizes.
To make great mobile-friendly forms, short and sweet trumps long and comprehensive. Long paragraphs can be cumbersome and frustrating to mobile users, so keep prose short and concise. Automating forms will make them easier for users and use responsive templates for all forms and emails. Prioritize the placement of information so users can easily find the content that is most relevant to them quickly.
For desktop-only sites, Google’s mobile first decision will have little or no effect. The majority of digital customers have already left the station aboard the mobile train. A fixed digital internet presence has no chance for success to connect with an ever-mobile consumer.
To learn more about the impact of Google’s mobile-first decision on your digital marketing presence and how your message can better connect with today’s consumers on the move, call Junction Creative Solutions (Junction) today at 678-686-1125.