Mobile technology is a big topic of conversation here, for several good reasons. More than 2/3 of all web traffic takes place via a mobile device; most often smartphones and tablet computers. The 2014 holiday season saw more than one in every five sales taking place via mobile device. 80% of web users report a smartphone is their preferred device for search. The world has reached and passed a vital tipping point: mobile is more important than desktop computers for the majority of users.

With that in mind, Google has announced that it is adjusting the algorithms it uses to determine search engine rankings. Sites that are mobile friendly will be prioritized, while sites that are not mobile friendly will see a negative impact on their rankings. The exact wording of the Google announcement is as follows:

“Starting April 21, we will be expanding our use of mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal. This change will affect mobile searches in all languages worldwide and will have a significant impact in our search results.”

What does this change mean to you, as a jewelry brand? There are two factors to take into account: first, the mobile-friendliness of your own website. If your site isn’t mobile friendly, making it so needs to be a top priority.

Second, it’s time to assess the mobile-friendliness of your partner retailers’ websites. The extended visibility and reach your brand currently enjoys via being included on these retailer’s sites will be negatively impacted if their sites aren’t mobile friendly.

There are two ways to tell if a partner retailer’s website is mobile friendly. The simplest may be to attempt accessing the websites in question from your own smartphone or tablet. If the site displays and functions properly, you’re good to go.

Another option is to use this tool provided by Google’s web developers. All you do is type in a site’s URL and within a few moments, you’ll get a report assessing the site’s mobile friendliness. If your partner retailers’ sites are mobile friendly, great! If not, it may be a good idea to let your retailers know what’s going on, how it will impact their search engine ranking, and suggest that website upgrades are very necessary.