Google Removes “Mobile-Friendly” Tag: What it Means for SEO

Google has recently decided to remove the ”Mobile-Friendly” tag from their search results. The tag was included to help users determine which sites would work better on their mobile devices, but it has been taken out to declutter the search results. Also, because 85% of sites are mobile-friendly now, Google doesn’t need to push the tag anymore. This doesn’t mean that the tag doesn’t affect searches anymore (The mobile-friendly tag will still be an important ranking signal), it just means it doesn’t physically appear in the results. If you are a business owner who needs to keep track of mobile traffic on your site, no need to worry. Google still provides the mobile-friendly testing tool and mobile usability report for your personal use. Accelerated Mobile Pages While Google claims they got rid of the “mobile-friendly” tag to declutter the search results, they may have another agenda as well. Since February 2016, Google has been pushing its Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) project, which is essentially a stripped-down form of code that helps mobile content load faster than HTML. Publishers that have a valid AMP version of their content will find their pages listed at the top of the search results, increasing traffic and exposure for their business. While the technology is relatively new, it may be wise to use AMP to boost your search engine rankings. To learn more about building AMP pages, click here. With all the competition for consumer attention these days, anything you can do to be ahead of the game is going to help you in the long run. Getting your company’s results to come up at the top of a search engine can drastically increase your profits and take your business to the next level. If you need help taking that next step, get in contact with us at Business Builders. We specialize in helping our partners get the most out of their brand. Contact us today for any of your branding, website and marketing needs.