Will the new Google website rule changes affect your website and search engine rankings?
As of April 21 2015, any website that is not mobile-responsive will be docked in Google’s search engine rankings, or dropped altogether. While this might take some time to roll out altogether, many websites have already observed a noticeable change in rankings.
The reason for this is quite simple – they don’t want to serve websites that are a hindrance to view on mobile devices and hence tarnish the user experience for many millions of visitors. With mobile internet usage now surpassing traditional desktop/laptop use, the importance of having a functional, mobile-friendly website is paramount.
On your end, you want as many visitors as possible to be able to read your content, consider your services, buy your products, consume your media. This means you need to prepare your site correctly.
The other movement is towards a more secure Internet. In September of 2014 Google announced it would be rewarding websites running SSL security with a modest 2% boost in rankings.
SSL is evident when an authorized security certificate is installed to ensure the website address begins in “https://” instead of “http://”, and was used primarily on banking and cloud information services such as webmail. SSL encrypts all transmissions between the user on whatever browser and computer they’re using, such as entering passwords, financial and personal details, messages, search terms, and other transmissions – essentially everything.
Now, with consumer privacy and online security such a hot, crucial topic, the push is towards a wholly encrypted Internet at user web page level.
Think about it, every time you logon to an admin panel, enter payment details, send messages to somebody else, or even search for anything, if there is no SSL and a low level hacker has the right tools, they can see exactly what you’re submitting.
NEVER SUBMIT PAYMENT OR LOGIN INFORMATION WITHOUT THE SECURE SSL ICON IN YOUR BROWSER BAR!
Fortunately, SSL need not be expensive. We sell the very entry level SSL certificate from around $15 a year, with stronger options all the way up to Symantec’s SecureSite, and the “green bar” EV certificates that are essential for serious online shopping platforms.
There is a dizzying array of options, but for most ventures you need not complicate this decision. Just buy a reputable SSL certificate and install it on your server.
Does your website fit the bill?
It’s best practice to plan your website looking ahead to where the Internet is going to be in a few years, and prepare yourself now. Otherwise, you will always be playing catch up, and paying a little bit more in the long run.
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