Agents Beware – Goggle is making a BIG change that will affect you

This is my 2nd post about an upcoming Google search algorithm update. The reason I am doing a 2nd one is because the change Google is making will have a huge impact on the Real Estate Industry, in my opinion, specifically on agent websites.

Coined “Mobilegeddon“, this update to Google search will happen on April 21st.

So what is Mobilegeddon? Basically it is a new algorithm change that will address the mobile friendliness of all websites on Google.

How does this affect me?

This new change will look at your website and determine how mobile friendly it is, and if it’s not mobile friendly your website will rank much lower on searches performed on mobile devices.  And since a significant amount of traffic comes from phones and tablets, this will affect you.

Google has been telling us to prepare for many years now, and I have posted many articles about it. But with this update, you now have a compelling reason to take some action.

You may have been reading some people talk about needing to move to a responsive website.  While that is our preferred recommendation, is it not your only choice.  If you have a mobile version of your website, it will also qualify as mobile friendly. If you have neither, you will be loosing traffic on mobile search results.  However, for an Agent website, I think a responsive site is the only way to go.

What a responsive website and why do we love it so much?

A responsive website is a flexible web design which improves a user’s experience based on the device they’re using. So the easy way to look at it is that your website will look good on desktops, laptops, tables and phones.  Responsive design ends the “pinch and squeeze” while trying to read the screen and makes all the images and fonts look appropriate all the time.

Whether it’s a tablet, desktop, smart phone, or laptop, your website will be able to adapt to any device and provide your visitors with a cohesive, consistent experience.

Are “RE/Advantage” websites responsive?

Yes we have developed a full line of responsive websites designed just for Agents.

What is next?

If you do not want to lose your rankings, you should consider making the move to a responsive design, because your competitors surely are!  If you are not, you will see an impact on your rankings.

How do I know if my website is mobile friendly?

The easiest way is to post a comment here and I will check it for you or feel free to email me at mark@readvantage.com.  I will review it for you and let you know.

My website is NOT Mobile Friendly –  what can I do?

Really the only option is to upgrade.  There is no band-aid fix here.

To help everyone out, we are offering a special promotion on our full suite of responsive designs.  Just reach out to me and we can save you up to 50% off on one of our designs.  Out of the box, our designs are more cost-effective than some of the other offerings out there and our monthly charges are some of the lowest around.

Here is an example of a responsive website:  http://www.erikrussellhomes.com.

Time is running out!

Please contact me or any of our sales consultants to get more information.  If you want me to take a look at your website just email me at mark@readvantage.com or post a comment below.  For more information and pricing on responsive websites for REALTORS click here.

I look forward to hearing from you soon.