Sunday, March 8, 2015

Google Announcement: Search Algorithms Adds Mobile Friendly Elements & App Indexing to Improve Ranking On April 21, 2015



In recent months, Google has been talking about, “expanding on previous ranking changes such as addressing faulty redirects.” In August of 2014, Google made algorithm changes to Penguin and Panda to target websites that were false directing through hosting copied content on websites and sneakily using competitor tags behind their sites. These practices are now red flagged by these algorithms and could damage your Search Engine Ranking Placement (SERP).

As predicted in 2015, the mobile user percentage has surpassed the personal computer for information searches. Therefore, the goal in 2015 is to address mobile algorithms so users are receiving relevant information on their phones.

Google reps, Yoshikiyo Kato and Pierre Far noted “To improve the search experience for smartphone users and address their pain points, we plan to roll out several ranking changes in the near future that address sites that are not configured for smartphone users.”
Google also said “users will find it easier to get relevant, high quality search results that are optimized for their devices.”

On a mobile search, users should receive the most relevant results, no matter if the information resides on mobile-friendly web pages or apps. Google explained, “As more people use mobile devices to access the internet, our algorithms have to adapt to these usage patterns. In the past, we’ve made updates to ensure a site is configured properly and viewable on modern devices. We’ve made it easier for users to find mobile-friendly web pages and we’ve introduced App Indexing to surface useful content from apps. Today, we’re announcing two important changes to help users discover more mobile-friendly content.”

1. Mobile-friendly websites in search results
April 21, 2015 Google will be expanding their use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages and will have a significant impact on search outcomes. In turn, users will find it effortless to get appropriate, quality search outcomes that are optimized for all mobile devices.
If you are interested in a mobile-friendly site, Google offers a guide to make your site mobile-friendly. You can get ready for this change by using the following tools to see how Googlebot views your pages:

To test web pages, use the Mobile-Friendly Test.
If you have a website, you can use your Webmaster Tools account to get a full list of mobile usability issues across your site using the Mobile Usability Report. There are other free online test services on the web to explore the results of your mobile friendly results, but they may not be effective as Google’s tools.

2. Add relevant app content.
Google is currently using information from indexed apps as a factor in ranking for signed-in users who have the app installed. As a result, Google may now surface content from indexed apps more prominently in search. To find out how to implement App Indexing, which allows us to surface this information in search results, have a look at our step-by-step guide.
Simply summarized, if your website is not mobile friendly today, it will not rank high in a mobile search and mobile searches now far exceed the personal computer. Take action today and contact your web master to make these improvements to your website. 
Sourced story by: searchengineland.com

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