Change in the world of search engine optimization is a constant. Google, the dominant player in the search engine sphere with control of 65 to 70% of the market, regularly puts out new updates to the search algorithm that makes its service so popular. The most recent changes, of course, were the October updates to the Panda and Penguin content policing systems that made it clear once again that SEO marketing companies need to focus on search engine optimization strategies that provide value to web surfers, not their companies.

Search Engine Land reports on yet another change coming down from Google: mobile will now play a bigger role when calculating a website’s search engine ranking. More specifically, if a company website earns a “mobile-friendly” label from Google, it will gain serious points when it comes time for Google’s search engine robots to catalog and rank content.

How Non-Optimized Sites Affect Your Business Outside of Google
Google’s announcement that mobile optimized sites are being looked at favorably shouldn’t come as a surprise to any search marketing company. Digital commerce is quickly moving to mobile platforms. A full 51% of consumers say they are more likely to make a purchase from a website that is optimized for mobile platforms. It’s no wonder why spending on mobile ads is set to increase to $18 billion by 2016.

There’s also a flip side to this. SEO services that ignore the importance of mobile optimized websites set their clients up for failure, as evidenced by recent statistics from KISS Metrics. Mobile users expect a mobile-friendly website that loads quickly. In fact, 40% of consumers say that if a website takes longer than three seconds to load on their mobile platform, they’ll abandon that company — permanently. SEO company services that can provide mobile optimization services, in other words, stand to help their clients. Those that can’t stand in the way of their clients’ success.

What You Can Do to Earn the “Mobile-Friendly” Label
Luckily, Google is making it easy for business owners looking to make sure their websites are up to snuff. According to a new report from tech and marketing website Search Engine Journal, the Silicon Valley behemoth will make a testing tool available to any search marketing company or private business marketing team that wants it. This tool will check every facet of a website, from the images used to the navigability, and then pass judgment as to whether or not the website is deserving of the “Mobile-Friendly” label.

The tool isn’t a fix all, far from it, but it will help a search marketing company or in-house designer take the appropriate steps to make a website more mobile-friendly. In doing so, SEO firms stand to better keep their promises to their clients.

How big of an effect do you think Google’s push for mobile websites will have on the world of search engine optimization and digital marketing? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.