As a company constantly trying to get as much exposure as possible online, it is pivotal that you remain updated with every tweak Google makes to its search engine. Google is the starting point of the vast majority of Internet users out there. The way in which users interact with the search engine has remained pretty constant over the past decade or so, but the way Google connects users to results has been due to algorithm changes. The Google algorithm is what connects users to certain search results and they are it again with their latest update, this time targeting the mobile arena.

A Quick History of Google Algorithm Updates

This is not the first time that Google has updated their algorithm and it certainly is not going to be the last. There have been a few main algorithm updates Google has made over the years, most notably the Panda and Hummingbird updates. The Panda update made its debut back in 2011 and put an emphasis on ensuring that quality content made its way to the top of search engine rankings.

Hummingbird was another update and debuted in late 2013. This took things further in terms of content and how users interact with the search engine. With Hummingbird, Google made their search engine much smarter in being able to understand phrases that user’s typed into the engine and matched them up with the best answers and results based on those phrases.

Turning Their Attention to the Mobile Arena

Google is now turning their attention to the mobile arena with their next big algorithm update that is due April 21, 2015. Think of just how many people out there have a smart phone with access to the Internet. There are more people with an iPhone or Google Android phone these days than those that do not have one of these devices. The goal of the new algorithm update for Google is to give these users the same great experience that users have on a desktop. Google wants to place websites with optimal mobile experiences at a premium and connect users on mobile devices with the best experiences and content possible.

How to Get Your Business Ready in a Nutshell

• Step One: Verify your Website is Optimized for Mobile

So as a business owner, what are you to do in order to get ready for this next big algorithm update? Your starting point should certainly be taking a look at the way in which your website is presented in the mobile space. This starts by optimizing your website for mobile so that it can be viewed and navigated easily on any device. Start by validating your site with Google’s mobile friendly test tool  to make sure your site’s resources such as images, CSS, JS are also crawlable.

• Step Two: Measure Existing Content and Create Engaging Content – Consistently

Content is always king for Google so optimizing your content for mobile is important. Do some work around load times on mobile devices for your site and also analyze site traffic to see which type of content is popular among mobile users. You may find that you need to adjust your content to better cater to this user base. From here, it is all about monitoring and being aware of where you stand in the search rankings and adjusting as necessary.  Use Google’s FREE Keyword Planner tool to identify the top queries and top pages in mobile search with the “Mobile” filter of the Search Queries report.

• Step Three: Ensure Visitors are Able to Easily Find What They are Looking For

Google wants to make the user experience on their search engine as seamless as possible. Their goal is to connect users with quality content fast. With their Panda and Hummingbird updates, they made great strides with this for desktop and laptop users. The next revolution is now set to arrive in April 2015 with the mobile space due for a shake-up. As a business owner, it is important to ensure that your business and web presence is ready to take advantage of the opportunity at hand.

Is your Brand’s Website Mobile Ready?

If you you are not sure, make sure to give Brand Echo a call and within a few minutes, we can tell you if your website has all the elements and functionality to be completely marketable on both desktop and mobile devices. Plus, we will even provide you with a FREE Website Analysis that will provide your next steps in ensuring your business is found by potential customers.