There is big news on the Google horizon. The search engine has announced that starting on April 21, 2015, Google will start including mobile-friendly factors in its ranking system, according to Search Engine Land. We’ve written about the advantages of mobile-friendliness before, but there’s about to be a lot more at stake starting very soon.

The move doesn’t come as a complete shock; the search engine said last year they were experimenting with mobile ranking factors. And despite the staunchest desktop enthusiasts, the tide is turning. According to Google, 90% of people move between multiple devices like phones, tablets, and laptops to get things done. According to Adobe, tablet users spend about 50% more money than PC users. So, being high-tech isn’t the only reason to adopt mobile capability; it could also put more money in your pocket.

Google just wants their users to have an easier time finding sites that will work with their mobile devices. The experts are calling it the “mobile friendliness update.” An optimized website will adjust the page based on screen size, so the proportions of the pages on your site will look right no matter the device. If your website isn’t responsive to all devices, it is recommended that you at least look into developing a separate mobile version of your site.

If you’re an Zywave client and have purchased a website, good news: all our websites are mobile-friendly, and have been for years. If not, you should connect with your web designer to build you a site that will respond positively to all devices. If you’re not sure if your site is mobile-friendly, Google provides a link tester that will give you a report on the mobile friendliness of your website and a guide to give you more information.

For the past few years, you may have been able to get by without mobile capability, but all signs point to needing one if you want to compete on the Internet in the future. Get some advice from an expert today!