Google's Mobile Friendliness, or "Google Friendly"

Starting in April 2015, Google changed their search engine to include mobile-friendliness in all results and rankings. 

The simple explanation to this is that Google wants all sites to be user friendly on all devices, and for both touch screen as well as mouse/keyboard clicks.

The initial phase, as Google has so far described, means that you need a mobile friendly site. Mobile friendly is not the same as responsive. However, there is much about Google's documentation and commentary that gives experts reason to forecast that the ultimate end goal is a fully responsive site - one that works fluidly on all devices, screens and systems.

You can read more about Mobile Friendliness in our blog post from April >>

You can learn more about Google's overall mobile usability standards here >>

Does your current site pass Google's Mobile Friendliness?

This depends on many factors, including:

1. If you have a mobile site (mobile optimized site)
2. If you have a responsive home page or responsive website (fully responsive)
3. The age of your site's design and build
4. Your content and how the content was built

If you have, or get, a mobile site with Faithwebsites, your home page and overall site* will pass the test!

If you have a responsive home page only, your home page will pass the test but the rest of your pages may not until your site is moved to fully responsive. This only applies to customers who updated / upgraded to a new Signature Theme or Custom design after February 1, 2015.

If you have a responsive home page and a mobile site for inside pages - yes! Your site will pass the test*.

How to Get Your Site to Pass the Test

The how will depend on what type of site you have with us, how long ago it was updated / designed and other factors.

The most sure-fire way is to update to a new Signature Theme (or other design option). If that is not an expense or project your organization isn't able to embark upon right now, the next option is to review adding on a mobile site.

Responsive website design is not backwards compatible, meaning that you are required to create a new design (new site) in order to move to a fully responsive website. If this isn't something your organization can do now, please make plans to update your site as soon as possible.

We're happy to review your website and explain ALL the options you have. Please email us at support@faithwebsites.com to start the conversation.

* Google's test is for each individual page, and content build on that page can alter the results of the test. While the website design, or framework, as well as navigation on your site may pass the test, results may vary if content tools or content/image/media build was not done properly or using best practices. If you have a page or pages that do not pass Google's test, we're happy to help you determine what on those pages needs to be changed.