What you need to know about Google's search changes

As you might have read, Google is changing its search algorithm on April 21.

This impacts your site IF the following are BOTH true:

• Mobile users search for and find your site(s) using Google
• Your site is not already mobile-friendly [enabled for Responsive Web Design (RWD)]

What is the impact?

• Your site(s) will rank lower in Google’s search return.
  • We do not yet know how much lower, but we assume it will be “below the fold” or even off the first page of returns if your competition’s sites are mobile-friendly. There may be “weighting factors” that work in your site’s favor, but we just don’t know.

However, Google has said that pages that aren't mobile friendly but do have high-quality content for the search query could still rank high. Such pages won't rank below mobile-friendly pages that have lower quality content.

What can you do about this?

• Determine if this matters to you:
  • Look at the frequency of “organic” mobile search traffic on your site(s). You can do this with Google Analytics, which is enabled on all UBCMS sites. For more information on this, visit the article on How to: Understanding your site's mobile footprint, which includes a how-to worksheet.

If this is a large, immediate impact, take steps to counteract the effect:

• Begin the process of RWD‐enabling your website (Permanent solution, longer‐term)  
  • Do a business and technical audit of your site  
  • Develop and execute a remediation plan
  • Request that RWD is turned on
  • Learn more: http://ubcms.buffalo.edu/help/advanced-topics/rwd.html

If your Unit Web Leader feels that the site's traffic is gonig to be heavily impacted by the changes, and your unit is unable to get the site RWD ready by April 21, you can also try these measures:

• Purchase Google Ad Words/Keywords (Stop-gap measure, short-term immediate impact)
  • For a relatively low investment, Google Ad Words will elevate your website in Google searches.
  • Learn more at: http://www.google.com/AdWords
• Retain a Vendor to Help
  • Contact the UBCMS Help Desk for a list of vendors that can support your efforts.

What We Need From You:

• Determine which of your sites are critically and immediately affected and let us know so we can give you guidance and plan for turning on RWD for your site.

More Information:

• UBCMS and Responsive Web Design:
  Reference hints, tips, videos and background information at http://ubcms.buffalo.edu/help/advanced-topics/rwd.html

What if this does not affect you today?

Even if this does not affect you in a large way now, keep in mind that mobile usage is growing exponentially and you should be making plans to RWD enable your sites sooner rather than later.

• FOR NEW UBCMS SITES: Effective immediately, ALL new sites built in the UBCMS will be deploying RWD enabled UNLESS there is a clear business reason to opt out.
• FOR EXISTING SITES IN THE UBCMS: By a date to be determined, we will be turning RWD on for all existing UBCMS sites. Rest assured:
  • This will be done with plenty of training, support and notification.
  • Any unit will have the opportunity to “opt out” for business reasons.