Today is the day…Google has changed it’s algorithm. To the vast majority of us, Google is nothing more than a website we visit to conduct search. How important is the change that has taken effect today? Well, look no further than the hashtag…
Photo Credit: Search Engine Land
Is it really that big of a deal? Will the world of search for your website send people into a black hole of death?
Yes, it is that big of a deal and no, no death will befall searches for your information but in this mobile centric society, you won’t be doing yourself any favors either.
In 2010 I was asked at a conference what is the future for police communications. My answer then was, “Mobile and video.” Fast forward to 2015 and the biggest things happening in police communications are the ease and prevalence of mobile technology and the use of video.
The algorithm change by Google will impact mobile search which means people who are on the go searching for you may have a little more trouble finding your information since it just won’t be ranked the same as mobile friendly websites.
No, not for most police agencies or public safety and government sites, but if your agency has haters that have done a great job of beating you up online and exposing your worst moments, it is very possible that their information will be showing up in a mobile search before your information does. Let’s call that a reputation management issue.
The change won’t be impacting desktop search so your old, archaic website dating back to the good old days of 2010 is still in the clear.
Should We Be Concerned About Mobile?
What, exactly, does a non-optimized site look like? Well, think back to the last time you tried to view a site on your phone and found yourself zooming in and out, trying to find the right button, or failing to view the entire page. In short, it’s annoying, and it’s something Google is now doing its best to stamp out.***
As of May 2013, 63% of adult cell owners use their phones to go online.*
So you tell me, should we be concerned about mobile? My answer is, “Yes, absolutely.”
As of January 2014:
- 90% of American adults own a cell phone*
- 32% of American adults own an e-reader*
- 42% of American adults own a tablet computer*
How do you stack up in the mobile friendly market place?
If you’re the webmaster for your site, you probably have a very good idea if your site is mobile friendly…if you are just the person who is the PIO, MRO or social media specialist for your agency you can use this handy tool from Google to find out.
Here’s a quick look at the big 6 North American Municipal Police Agencies** (not including Mexico City).
New York – No
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/html/home/home.shtml
Chicago – Yes
http://home.chicagopolice.org/
Los Angeles – Yes
http://www.lapdonline.org/
Philadelphia – No
https://www.phillypolice.com/
Toronto – No
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/
Houston – Yes
http://www.houstonpolice.org/go/doc/2133/289249/
- Information from Pew Internet
http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/mobile-technology-fact-sheet/
** Information based on sworn members Law Enforcement EDU, The Police Pay Journal, StatsCan
http://www.lawenforcementedu.net/2014/03/americas-largest-police-departments/
http://policepay.blogspot.com/2011/04/police-department-employees-50-largest.html
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/85-225-x/2011000/t004-eng.htm
*** Are you ready for Google’s Mobilegeddon Phoneapocolypse? Gizmodo
http://gizmodo.com/are-you-ready-for-googles-mobilegeddon-phonepocalypse-t-1698947927
