Yes, Google changed its search algorithm in late April. They’ve updated the sauce hundreds of times, but this was a big one. It’s been called “Mobilegeddon” and that makes it seem pretty important. Google will now be using mobile-friendliness as an official ranking signal. If your website isn’t optimized for mobile, now is the time to think about upgrading to a mobile website. Or to at least get that meeting together to talk about what it means for your organization.
Google rewards mobile websites that have put the user experience first and foremost. This doesn’t mean your website won’t show up in search, or worse, that it is broken. Hardly. What it does mean, is a mobile website that is optimized for mobile use will rank better than one that is not in a mobile search. Yes, from your phone. All other rankings will remain the same, for now. Why you ask? Small links and navigation on a non-mobile friendly site are difficult to use. Images are hard to see when the whole site pops into your tiny phone screen. Navigation drop downs are difficult to use on a phone.
How does this affect your website?
The greater question is this; does your website work well for you? If your site is not optimized as a mobile website, it was probably built a number of years ago and might not be a good representation of what your company is today. Design tastes have changed. Usability is better and functionality has progressed. In summation, this change in the way Google ranks mobile sites may be a cue to look towards the future. You want to impress and engage users on their mobile device because that segment is continually growing. Getting mobile friendly is just good business.