Mobilegeddon

Mobilegeddon refers to a significant update to Google's mobile search algorithm that took effect on April 21, 2015. The primary purpose of this update was to prioritize websites that were mobile-friendly in Google's mobile search results. This meant that pages that were not optimized for mobile devices would experience a decrease in their ranking on smartphones and tablets.

The update caused considerable concern among website owners and digital marketers, as a lower ranking on mobile devices could significantly impact traffic and revenue. The term "Mobilegeddon" itself was coined by Search Engine Land, reflecting the perceived dramatic and potentially damaging consequences of the algorithm change.

Google's announcement of the update specified that the ranking signal would affect searches conducted on mobile devices and would apply to all languages. Websites needed to ensure they were responsive, meaning they could adapt their layout to different screen sizes, or implement other mobile-friendly design techniques.

To assess mobile-friendliness, Google provided tools such as the Mobile-Friendly Test. The update encouraged a widespread shift towards mobile-first design and development, pushing businesses to invest in creating better user experiences for mobile users. While the impact was substantial for some, many websites had already begun adapting to the growing mobile internet usage, mitigating the severity of the "Mobilegeddon" for them.