Mobiles Devices
Mobile is vital, and anyone who reads my column knows how I feel about the subject. As the Internet continues to disconnect from the computer and assume a more ambient and ubiquitous place in our lives, mobile has been taking up more and more of the grand total of web traffic.
This is where Responsive Web Design comes into the equation. Wikipedia defines RWD as follows:
Responsive web design (RWD) is a web design approach aimed at crafting sites to provide an optimal viewing experience — easy reading and navigation with a minimum of resizing, panning, and scrolling — across a wide range of devices (from mobile phones to desktop computer monitors)
This is what allows a website to automatically default to a view appropriate to your device when you look it up. It is a key element of modern web development and one that becomes more important with each smart phone purchased.
The big question recently has been how effective it is in the wake of Google’s recent string of updates. Fortunately, Google’s own Matt Cuts has stepped in to clear the air on this subject. The question he is responding to is:
Is there an SEO disadvantage to using responsive design instead of separate mobile URLs?
A very important subject, and one both web designers and SEO professionals have eagerly been awaiting a ruling on. Well, that ruling is here and the news is positive! Responsive design will not penalize you in the search rankings. Check it out!
With all the changes to search, from Hummingbird down the line, this is something to be grateful for. As Brafton.com points out:
In fact, there might even be SEO advantages for marketers who take the responsive road. Because the web content is all hosted on a single URL, it could theoretically pass PageRank across each version. So links going to the desktop domain will carry over to the smartphone-optimized version. Ultimately, this could help brands rank higher in mobile searches -– something that will become essential as users begin to do the bulk of their web browsing on the go.
It would behoove us all to keep an eye on the continuing changes at Google’s end, but it must also be pointed out that one rule has always applied: great content wins! Being aware of changes, particularly those fueled by mobile usage, is something every pro should do. In the end all the search engine changes continue to put quality content at the forefront. This is why we focus on producing the best content possible for our clients here at SixEstate!
Image by mobilyazilar