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Doing Business in a Mobile-First World: What Google’s Changes Mean To You

Doing Business in a Mobile-First World: What Google’s Changes Mean To You

Well, here we are in 2018, the year Google has announced it intends to switch to a mobile-first index. Up to 60% of all Google searches currently originate on a mobile device, and the expectation is that this percentage will only increase. For this reason, there will be a significant change in the way search results are generated and displayed. It is the mobile version of your website that will be scanned, sorted, and ranked, rather than the desktop version.

For businesses that don’t have a mobile site, or who have a mobile site that doesn’t perform to Google’s speed standards, this change has dire consequences: there will be no way for these websites to appear on the first page of search results, which is where 90+ % of subsequent traffic goes.

[Tweet “Comscore reports that 50% of all searches will be voice searches by 2020…”]

Understanding Mobile Search: Try This For Yourself

Google changes the search engine results displayed based on the device the user is using to search for you. In other words, the results of a desktop search will be different than the results of a mobile search.

Test this for yourself by searching for your own business on your desktop computer and then repeating the search on your phone. Try searching for your businesses by typing in key phrases you think your customers use, and also make use of your phone’s voice search feature. You’ll find that each different search you make yields different results.

Mobile Essentials: Optimize for Voice Search & Test Your Site Speed

Comscore reports that 50% of all searches will be voice searches by 2020, with the popularity of smart speakers like Amazon’s Alexa being a key reason why. Optimizing for voice search can mean reworking or adding to your website’s copy to highlight the communities you serve: this language is vital to have in place when customers search for ‘(business type) near me’.

Site speed is one factor we know Google is prioritizing when determining mobile search results. If you haven’t tested your site speed recently, visit testmysite.thinkwithgoogle.com  This free tool assesses the many aspects of your site, including mobile usability, and tells you your load speed rating, along with a percentage estimate of how many visitors leave while waiting for the page to load.

Want to Learn More?

Jennifer hosted a Fireside Chat for jewelers and luxury retailers during JCK Las Vegas on the topic of mobile marketing. Watch this to see what she has to say about mobile search, proximity marketing, video marketing, mobile commerce, augmented reality and games.  If you’re thinking it’s definitely time for a website upgrade, you can find out more about the special incentive pricing that’s available right now. 

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Creative Director/Senior Designer

Tom DiGrazia

With over a decade and a half of professional design experience, Tom brings his knowledge of design principles and focus on user experience to every aspect of his contribution to TTG. Paying special attention to each client’s brand, personalized needs and individual interests, he strives to create compelling concepts utilizing intuitive and highly-refined design solutions. In addition to traditional and digital design work and oversight at TTG, Tom also boasts a wide portfolio of web development projects with the company, allowing him to stretch his CSS and HTML skills across multiple platforms and disciplines. He feels that being a designer in the digital landscape of websites, eCommerce solutions, email marketing platforms and social media, it is important to understand the code that goes into these areas as it assists his ability to tailor designs specifically targeted to achieve the best end result and further builds understanding and communication with backend development teams.

In his off hours, Tom is an avid pop culture enthusiast, staying up to date on the latest shows, films, comics and games. He can also typically be found taking part in a whole host of artistic activities that help him further stretch his creative legs. Regardless of the activity, Tom is always accompanied by his dog, Eli, and his cat, Tib.

Specialties:
Design, Photography, Illustration, Digital Imagery Manipulation, Wesbite Development

Platforms/Tools:
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, HTML/CSS, Wordpress

Analyst/Strategist

Courtney Dumont

As Senior Marketing Strategist & Analyst at Technology Therapy Group, Courtney is energized by the ability to flex both her left and right brain daily. Courtney discovered her passion for Marketing at Bryant University, where she spearheaded research on students’ perceptions of Social Media Marketing for her Honors Capstone Project. After graduating Bryant in 2012, she joined the Technology Therapy team, where she’s honed her skills in social media, search and social advertising, email marketing, SEO, and more.

Since joining the team, Courtney has created digital marketing strategies and managed campaigns for clients across the country, ranging from plastic surgery centers, to jewelry stores, to construction companies. With a cohesive, cross-channel approach and a focus on data-driven decision making, she has increased their leads by up to 217%. But Courtney doesn’t leave her zeal for social media at the office; she also runs a local foodie Instagram account with her husband to document their meals across Rhode Island and beyond. Check them out: @hoppilyfed.

Specialties:
Marketing Strategy, Data Analysis, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Social Media

Platforms/Tools:
Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Facebook Creator Studio, Instagram, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Emma Mail, Google Data Studio, WordPress, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Microsoft Office