Since a few days, Google is adding a “mobile-friendly” label to their mobile search results. This makes it easier for people to find the information that they’re looking for.
Have you ever tapped on a Google Search result on your mobile phone, only to find yourself looking at a page where the text was too small, the links were tiny, and you had to scroll sideways to see all the content? This usually happens when the website has not been optimized to be viewed on a mobile phone.
Although Google says the update is rolling out over the next few weeks, we've started seeing the label appear already.
A page is eligible for the “mobile-friendly” label if it meets the following criteria:
- Avoids software that is not common on mobile devices, like Flash
- Uses text that is readable without zooming
- Sizes content to the screen so users don’t have to scroll horizontally or zoom
- Places links far enough apart so that the correct one can be easily tapped
Google also casually mentions towards the end of its announcement post that mobile-friendly design is being tested as a ranking signal, striking fear into the hearts of webmasters not fluent in responsive design.
But rest assured, Open Police is ahead of the curve. Since its initial release, just over a year ago, the platform is "mobile-friendly".