At last October’s Pubcon in Las Vegas, Google announced that it would be splitting its search indexing into mobile and desktop versions, with the mobile index to be considered primary. Addressing the fact that 60 percent of all web searches are now conducted from smartphones, Google’s decision shows its commitment to supporting the mobile search user. Though the exact date for this change remains unknown (it’s expected later this year), websites that do not meet the proper mobile criteria will be negatively affected in the adjusted search rankings.
The AAM Group has prepared its Digital Marketplace program, a website-building service for aftermarket retailers and installers, for Google’s upcoming new emphasis. AAM’s sites have long employed a fast, responsive design that ensures a smooth browsing experience for consumers on mobile devices. This focus on mobile performance means that Digital Marketplace websites are well-positioned to meet Google’s rapidly evolving standards, meaning that its retailer and installer customers will remain findable by local shoppers using Google search.
“Many mobile-ready platforms remove critical elements that Google’s impending changes will require for sites to rank highly in search results,” said Digital Marketplace Manager Stephen Fillers. “Our sites pass the tests that other sites may fail in the coming months. When we broke ground on our service, we knew that we needed to proactively set the standard for our industry, so we ensured that each of our sites would be able to adapt to future trends and technologies that were sure to emerge, with mobile optimization chief among them.”
