![Google Mobile Friendly Update and Restarting Your Goals [LNIM088]](https://www.latenightim.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Dollarphotoclub-640.jpg)
Google's mobile-friendly update landed in April 2015, and it was a big one. In this episode, Mark covers what the update means for your website rankings, how to test and fix your site, and the practical difference between plugin-based mobile themes and full responsive redesigns. He also shares 11 steps for getting back on track when you have fallen behind on your business goals.
What You'll Learn in This Episode
- What Google's mobile-friendly algorithm update changed and why it matters
- How to test your site and the two options for making it mobile-friendly
- Eleven practical steps for restarting goals after falling off track
Show Notes
- Google's mobile-friendly update: Google began heavily weighting mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor. Mark explains the three types of mobile approaches (old school, separate mobile theme, responsive design) and recommends testing with Google's Mobile-Friendly Testing Tool. Quick fix: install WP-Touch or Jetpack. Long-term fix: switch to a responsive theme.
- 11 steps for getting your goals back on track: Consider the root cause. Leave the past behind. Reassess your why. Reassess the goal itself. Cash in on accountability. Reinvest in accountability by re-declaring intentions. Make a clear, detailed plan. Block time on your calendar like an airline flight. Focus on what you can do now. Check your environment. Just get started.
Links Mentioned in This Episode
- Google Mobile-Friendly Testing Tool
- WP-Touch Plugin
- Jetpack Plugin
- Yoast — article on Mobilegeddon impact
What's Changed Since This Episode
Google has moved far beyond the 2015 mobile-friendly update. Mobile-first indexing is now the default for all sites, and Core Web Vitals (page speed, interactivity, visual stability) have become the primary performance metrics that affect rankings. Nearly all modern WordPress themes are responsive out of the box, making the plugin-based solutions Mark discussed largely unnecessary. The goal-setting framework remains practical and relevant.
Listen and Subscribe
Listen to Late Night Internet Marketing on Apple Podcasts or subscribe at latenightim.com/internet-marketing-podcast/. Have a question for Mark? Call the digital recorder at 214-444-8655 or drop a comment below.
The Jetpack mobile didn’t pass the Google Mobile Friendly test when I first used it on VA Helper (my only non-responsive site) I had to check the box to disable the featured images before it would clear the test. All good now 😉
Hey Mark. Thanks for all the great content. I listened to the above podcast tonight. I recently built a website for my sister’s music teaching business: http://www.musicindoylestown.com. When it launched earlier this year, the site ranked on page 9 in Google for the phrase “piano lessons in bucks county, pa.” This month however, the site shot up to page 2 in Google for that phrase. This was without us creating any backlinks. I’m pretty sure now the improvement occurred thanks to the site being fully responsive. (I hand-coded it to get good at media queries and html.) Regards,
Matt Zager
Philadelphia
Glad to see you back Mark. I appreciate you and all you do. Don’t beat yourself up too much. I think you add a very nice dimension to your mastermind group. Someone has to keep the corporate world spinning.
Glad to see (hear) you back at the microphone, Mark. Keep it up! Thanks for giving me a shout-out. You are very kind.