On April 21st, 2015, if your website isn’t mobile-friendly (meaning that it’s easy to navigate and interact with on a mobile device) Google is going to drop the hammer on you. That means that when someone does a Google search on a mobile device, your website will be dropped to the bottom of the search results.
Data Talks
Now, why would Google do something like this? Because when data talks, Google listens. And data is talking loud. Like, for example, the fact that 80% of online adults own a smartphone, or that mobile traffic officially accounts for over 60% of all website traffic.
There’s also the fact that Google is the most popular and powerful search engine in the world, owning nearly 70% of the total search market and an astounding 87% of the mobile search market.
Those are some impressive numbers, and Google doesn’t want to see them drop. That’s why their number one goal is, and always has been, providing the best possible user experience to anyone who comes across their infamous search box. This new rule is just the next step in attaining that goal.
That’s why their number one goal is, and always has been, providing the best possible user experience to anyone who comes across their infamous search box.
To put it simply, Google sees a majority of the Internet population connecting to the web on a mobile device, so they’re changing the rules to cater to those users. Therefore, you need a mobile compatible website by April 21st, or a big chunk of the Internet population will never even know you exist.
A Long Time Coming
Of course, we’re not all that surprised. We’ve been talking for a while about the importance of having a website that works on a mobile device (like here and here, for example).
We’ve put out tons of facts and statistics hoping to convince everyone that mobile compatibility is a crucial component for every website and not just some trendy, millennial hoopla that’s going to fade away. And now, more than ever, Google is proving that point by making mobile compatibility one of the highest determining factors for search rankings.
You can ignore this if you want. You can thumb your nose 
and pretend like none of this matters. But we HIGHLY suggest you do not. Google is basically the Don Corleone of the Internet. If you aren’t in his good graces, you’re going to feel the hurt.
Chances are, if your website isn’t already mobile compatible, you’ve already been feeling the consequences. Even now, before the mobile requirements take effect, you can expect up to 75% of mobile users to immediately bounce from your website if it doesn’t function well on a smartphone. And most of the time they’ll never come back. Google is just putting the final nail in the coffin.
Don’t risk it. Make the right decision, and go mobile today. If you don’t know whether your site is mobile friendly or not, use Google’s mobile-friendly test to find out.
If you’re ready to make the jump, click the big button below.
