The Coming Google Change that Can - and Probably Will - Smash Your Rank

When Google announces a change to their ranking system, generally two things happen: 1) A logical response from a few ‘early adopters’, and 2) Weeping and gnashing of teeth from everyone else.

In almost every instance, the Google rank you fought so hard to gain is about to do a nosedive. What’s the fuss? Three words:

Mobile-Enabled Access.

“It’s over,” Google has announced to websites that can’t be read on a smartphone. Mobile-friendly is now (as of April 21) a large ranking factor for whether your website shows up in search results. This is another way of saying a lack of mobile-friendliness means Google is knocking you down a few rungs.

Yes, since we seemingly can’t unplug ourselves from smartphones, Google realizes that we’re all sick of:          
a.       Trying to read microscopic print on the mobile-unfriendly sites          
b.      Attempting to hit a link on said site that is the size of a gnat’s ear lobe 
c.       Scrolling around endlessly to find the ‘buy’ or ‘contact’ button

So, in an attempt to save you from madness – and possibly to aid Google’s 800-lb gorilla status – if your site is not mobile-friendly by the deadline, you can expect your ranking to slip slowly at first (about 30 days), then more rapidly if you continue to ignore. But there’s good news too.

Moving to mobile-friendliness is a good strategy overall, even without the rank threat. In a 2015 report completed by Pew Research, it was found nearly 65% of American with smartphones use it as their “key entry point” for online access.

And once mobile searchers don’t like what they see with your ‘old’ site? They’re gone. Surveys show that 61% of mobile users are unlikely to return to a site they had trouble navigating.

Remarkably, some contractors will not heed the warning or update their sites. If you’re in a good mood, please knock on their cave and give ‘em the bad news. For the rest of you, try this:

• Easy test for mobile-friendliness: At your next meeting, have everyone enter your site on their smartphones. Once there, have them click through navigation, test links, send an email through your contact link and fill out an online form. The amount of ease, frustration or potential profanity will give you a decent cross-section of how your customers will feel. Take note.

• Second easy test: Type in in and see what happens. Provided you eventually show up (!), click your website link to see if you still land on the correct page. If you fail both of these tests, you need to call your web dude and give him/her strict orders to upgrade your site.
• Content Responsiveness. If you’re using a content management system, make sure you’re using a responsive design theme. If not, update to a newer version. This could be the answer to your problems, but many ignore simple fixes.
• Google Goodness? Check your site for other potential issues with the aid of Google’s Webmaster tools.  Visit https://support.google.com/webmasters/, then sign into your Google account to find data, tools and diagnostics for a Google-friendly site. Google knows how you can be found by Google. Seriously. Let them show you how it’s done.

There are several other ways to safeguard too, but not enough room in this article, so request the free report, “21 Ways to Boost Your Website Performance,” by emailing a polite request to freestuff@hudsonink.com.  We’ll send it right out.

The days of “desktop only” navigation and rank strategy are numbered. This is just another evolution of search engine optimization. Here’s hoping that you benefit by being prepared.

You May Not Judge a Book by Its Cover… But covers sell lots of books, colleges and contractors

Woe is me. I was the hero. I was the king. I was the father made of steel. As invincible as any spandex-wearing, building-leaping protector with fake but superbly sculpted abs. And then my children grew up.

They became people with actual opinions. And I became human and fallible, almost (!), with receding hair and all. Darn it.

We are entering a new phase in life; my cherished “little girl” has left the nest and gone to college.

I stand in her room full of whimsy, Viewing posters of musicians and past heartthrobs. A handsome teen vampire dude looks broodingly my way. I don’t approve of him either. I scan the lavender walls that made me initially cringe when painted while she was at summer camp. Upon returning, she “ooohed” with delight, swooning dramatically into a round plush chair. Only an echo remains. Even the heartthrob’s smile seems to have faded a bit.

Years later, we added an adjoining bathroom so she’d not have to share one with her decidedly less preen-prone brother. Plus, he left the toilet seat up. Forever.

Many evenings of prom-like perfection were achieved there, as teenage girls aplenty tossed, flossed and glossed themselves for exceptionally undeserving young men. (I’ve been male all of my life; believe me – we don’t deserve any of you!)

A misty reflection stands in the full-length mirror checking to see which shoes look best. “They’re both fabulous,” I whisper, knowing I’m answering the most deadly question a man is ever asked. Okay, it’s in the top 10.

Just before I get sad, I smile…

I smile at the independence of her thoughts, artistic pursuits and ability to mount “reasons for or against” faster than Congress approves their own pay raise. She’s also got a laser-like opinion on aesthetics.

I can ask her about the design of a car, the face of a watch, the arc of a boat’s hull or a pediment detail on a Greek Revival façade and the answer – fully formed – comes blazing back in acceptance or dismissal. She can be equal parts sweet vanilla or pure venom, each indiscernible until dispersed. You ask her opinion and you’d better have your seat belt on.

And using these powers of decisive independence, she virtually chose her own college. Yes, a multi-thousand dollar, 4-year life-path commitment 700 miles away, largely made without ever leaving this lavender room.

Say hello to a tidal wave of how your current and future buyers buy.

See, using the powers of prehistoric parenting, we dragged her up and down the eastern U.S. to visit schools “best-suited” to her (in the opinion of real and trusted college counselors). We “suggested” others, including our beloved alma mater and nearby University of Alabama that offered her a full scholarship. Yet, she knew what she wanted and these weren’t it.

So, she did what millions of thinking, independently-minded, focused people on a mission do: She went online.

She searched and researched “Graphic Design Education” like I research marketing behavior. She scoured discussion boards, social sites, the schools’ websites, student and parent reviews, plus everything from enrollment to weather to job placement. (I approved that last entry.)

Eventually, she gathered and presented mounds of convincing evidence about a school called “TCU” in Fort Worth, Texas. I thought Fort Worth was a really large ranch, surrounded by a split-rail fence, where steer walked around saying “Howdy” and doing stuff, most of which is ruinous to good shoes.

Yet, she convinced us to make a visit. And my, oh my…

It was like my daughter and TCU had met on eHarmony. They virtually snuggled and called each other pet names. I had to admit, this place was a dialed-in match for her, and Fort Worth is a beautiful, culturally-advanced jewel of a town. In a 3-day visit, we were completely sold, which is relatively difficult. Especially considering this –

We knew zero current students, no alumni, no teachers and had no “advisor” endorsement.

Yet, her “Book Cover Research” triggered a rather significant sale. Before this, I could barely spell TCU. Now I wear purple and scream “Go Frogs” for no apparent reason.

Let me clarify the money part: She got a seriously good partial scholarship (THANKS to good test scores and my new best friends in the Admissions Department). Plus, I’d saved 10 straight years for this occasion. Yet the “package” value remains, like many colleges today, firmly in the nosebleed section.

TCU ticked every box for her. They dispensed their every advantage online; they linked a world of strangers to become a welcoming spot for friends. They organized their best “features and benefits” for maximum findability and impact. (My daughter sometimes dismissed a school because “Their website was unnavigable; they looked unprofessional.” Talk about death by book cover!)

In short, we were “sold” almost before we arrived. We didn’t know the book, but we knew the cover well. By the time they told us the story, we were signing admission forms.

I come to my senses standing in her now-empty room. I know she’s happy. Very happy. And so is the once superhero, who is still prone to fly to TCU as needed, perhaps accidentally knocking the undeserving jerk from the dorm porch upon landing, since he’s not good enough for her. Ever. Some habits die hard.

Adams Hudson

Questions for you:

If someone was searching for your trade services online, without any prior knowledge of you, what would they find?

Are your reviews positive and powerful?

Does your online “book cover” present convincing evidence that your company is a great choice?

Does your Local Listing show up on PAGE ONE of Google? If not, why not? (Get your no-cost Listing Grade here.)