Google has just announced a major change to the way it will ranks websites. Further deepening their commitment to “mobile first,” Google is beginning to scan the content that appears for mobile users of all websites first, to determine where websites rank overall. The new search update means that websites with two different sets of content – content that only appears when viewing a site on the desktop vs. content that appears only on a mobile device – could drop dramatically in search results.
This change makes a responsive site a necessity to get found in a local market. It also means that a separate, mobile version of your website could drop in Google search results.
Ultimately, Google isn’t just satisfied with a separate and smaller mobile version of your website. Instead, this change insures they are looking for a responsive website with the same quality content that appears on both desktop and mobile. If you don’t have a responsive site, ultimately, your search results are going to suffer, causing you to miss out on potential new patients.
Why the Change?
Google has been hinting that their algorithm will favor sites with a responsive design for some time now. This is largely due to how most people access the internet today. According to a recent study, 80% of internet users access the web primarily from smartphones. So, this is a strategic shift by Google to provide a better browsing experience.
Most of your new patients have never seen your website on anything except their phones.
Responsive designs function on all web-browsing platforms, and look beautiful on devices of all sizes.
What is a Responsive Design?
A responsive website uses specialized coding that resizes, adjusts and moves key elements of a website to fit whatever screen the user chooses to view it on. This means that every piece of information on your website can be viewed on any sized screen, while also giving your site visitors the best browsing experience available. A responsive design will mean that you don’t have to sacrifice information for appearance.
For more about responsive websites, click here.
Differences between a Mobile Site and a Responsive Site
A mobile-dedicated website is not responsive, but is instead a separate web properly entirely. Mobile-only sites are designed just to be viewed on mobile. Mobile sites typically only feature a subset of content from the main website, and not the entire site.
The problem with mobile-dedicated sites is that they don’t feature all of a site’s content. And with the search change at Google, practices with mobile sites will miss out on the SEO benefits of featuring all of their content. A responsive website seamlessly displays all of your website’s content across all internet browsing devices.
A Good Mobile Experience is Vital
Google is right to make this change, since most of us are accessing the internet from smart phones now. In fact, a study recently concluded that 73% of mobile searches lead to additional action, and 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if the content or layout is unattractive – an attribute typical of non-responsive websites being viewed on mobile devices. If you want to capture more internet users, then you must have a responsive website that works across all platforms.
Get a Responsive Website by Smile Savvy
A responsive website is widely considered an internet best practice. If your practice does not have a responsive site, then you are not maximizing your online presence. You can rank better on search results pages, and get the attention of more potential patients with a site that is designed to work beautifully on mobile and desktop. If you want your dental practice to grow, then you need a responsive website that works across all devices.
Smile Savvy provides comprehensive website packages that are created with responsive designs. Each site works seamlessly across all devices and includes full search engine optimization. Click here to learn more about websites by Smile Savvy, and get your dental practice a beautifully designed website that captures the attention of your local patients.
