Changes are being made to Google’s SEO best practices on an almost daily basis, which makes getting your site to the top of their rankings a constant challenge.
This makes it hugely important to ensure that you’re up to date with the latest SEO trends, patterns and have good knowledge of Google’s ranking factors.
Here are four key ways in which Google is influencing the sector and how you can potentially take advantage of them.
Key Takeaways
- Adopt HTTPS for Better Rankings and Security: Implementing HTTPS on your site is essential as Google considers it a ranking signal. HTTPS encrypts data, providing security and reassurance to visitors, and can help improve your site’s search priority.
- Avoid Interstitial Pop-up Ads on Mobile: Google penalises sites that use interstitial pop-up ads on mobile devices due to their disruptive nature. To maintain your ranking, ensure mobile users are exempt from such ads or use plugins to manage notifications without interruptions.
- Prioritize Mobile Friendliness: With the increasing use of smartphones and tablets for searches, having a mobile-friendly site is crucial. Google’s emphasis on mobile friendliness as a ranking factor means that responsive web design is vital for an uninterrupted browsing experience and higher search rankings.
1. The Importance Of Adopting HTTPS
HTTPS is the secure version of standard HTTP functionality which encrypts your data and is often implemented for sites that deal with financial transactions, such as Stripe, Realex and PayPal.
Google has pushed for the addition of HTTPS across its range of Chromium products, highlighting them as a ranking signal. This means that early adoption can prove useful in pushing your website up Google’s search priority and providing security and reassurance to site visitors.
2. Interstitial Pop-up Ads Are Penalised On Mobile Devices
At the start of the year, Google enforced its decision not to rank sites that deployed interstitial ads due to their habit of disrupting the experience of mobile and tablet users.
To avoid falling foul of this, you can make mobile users exempt from your notifications or deploy WordPress plugins that can help you to circumvent the process.
3. Being ‘Mobile Friendly’ Is More Important Than Ever
Most of the population has access to a smart device and searches by phones and tablets have ballooned as result. Google publicly announced the importance of mobile friendliness as a ranking signal in 2015 and has firmly committed to it since.
You review the status of your site through their free online test. Responsive web design is vital in order to allow for an uninterrupted browsing experience as we do here.
4. Adding AMP Is A Huge Client & SEO Draw
The addition of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) also proves to be a key draw, optimising content that loads quickly everywhere.
Google’s March AMP Conference highlighted the degree of focus they are placing on it. This means early adoption can pay dividends when it comes to attracting mobile users.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is HTTPS and why is it important for my website?
HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP that encrypts data exchanged between a user’s browser and the website. It’s crucial because Google considers HTTPS a ranking signal, which can help improve your site’s search priority. Additionally, it provides security and reassurance to your site visitors, especially important for sites handling financial transactions.
How do interstitial pop-up ads affect my site’s ranking on mobile devices?
Google penalizes sites that use interstitial pop-up ads on mobile devices because they disrupt the user experience. To avoid these penalties, ensure that your mobile users are exempt from such ads or use WordPress plugins to manage notifications in a non-intrusive manner.
Why is mobile friendliness important for SEO, and how can I ensure my site is mobile-friendly?
Mobile friendliness has been a crucial ranking factor for Google since 2015 due to the increasing number of searches conducted on smartphones and tablets. To ensure your site is mobile-friendly, use responsive web design and test your site’s status using Google’s free online tool. This helps provide an uninterrupted browsing experience and improves your search rankings.
