Have you heard of mobile-first indexing?
For more than a year Google has been testing mobile-first indexing. Now the official word is they are ready to roll it out for everyone this spring summer sometime soon.
What the heck does that mean for your senior living website?
In a nutshell, it means that Google’s search indexing will begin valuing mobile pages over desktop pages. That’s because research shows more people are searching on mobile devices than on desktops these days.
Yep…laptops are officially so 2017.
What should you worry about?
Pointers for Mobile-First Indexing and Senior Living
First, check with your web crew to make sure they’ve verified your mobile site with Google. (If you are bored and want to learn more about that process <insert big yawn here> this is what Google says you need to do.)
Then focus on speed, experience, and performance of your mobile site.
We’ve all been to those sites where the mobile experience is just…awful. (Hey Target, we’re looking at you here. You too, Sephora…)
When it comes to mobile searches, searchers have ants in their pants. Some experts say the bounce rate is as much as 40% higher on mobile devices than on laptops.
Makes sense though right? You are likely double-screening while watching television or playing on your phone while riding in the car trying not to pay attention to that fact that your husband driving like he’s on the Autobahn. You aren’t excited about a site that takes forever to load or doesn’t immediately offer up a good user experience.
Your senior living website literally has about 3 – 5 seconds to connect with families before they abandon your site and head back to the search engine results page.
We’ve talked about the need for speed a few times lately because it’s important, and that’s especially true with this upcoming change.
The good news is if your senior living mobile site rocks, you’ll likely see your rank improve. But if your mobile site isn’t great, your ranking will probably fall.
So move this item to the top of your list to discuss with your web crew this month.
Have a question about senior living content or strategy? Drop us a note! We’ll be happy to help.
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