5 Reasons Your Website Could Fail Google's Mobile-Friendly Test
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Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test is a useful tool for determining how mobile-friendly your website is. As a business, it's important to make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Google now penalizes websites that are not mobile-friendly, and that can have a big impact on your SEO in Canberra and traffic. However, there are some things that can cause your site to fail the test, even if it looks fine to you. In this post, we’ll discuss five of the most common reasons your website might not pass Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test, and how to fix them. Keep in mind that having a mobile-friendly website is more important than ever, so make sure your site passes the test!
Blocking CSS or JS Resources
The first thing you need to do is make sure your CSS and JS resources aren’t being blocked. This usually happens when the browser is unable to connect with the server or if there are issues with how they are set up on your site. If this happens, then Google will assume that all content on your page has been blocked.
You can check if this is happening by visiting www.google.com/webmasters/, clicking “Fetch as Googlebot”, and then clicking “See fetch as Googlebot”. In the window that opens, scroll down until you see a list of resources being requested by the HTTP request (like CSS files). Make sure these aren't being blocked by any firewall or other security software running on the client device which may be preventing access from outside sources like web crawlers, spiders etc.
Readability issues
One of the most common issues that can lead to a failing mobile-friendly test is readability. Google has set the following font size requirements for websites, and if you're not complying with them, you're likely to see red flags on Google's mobile-friendly test.
- The primary body text should be at least 16px.
- The primary body font should be no smaller than 12px, and no larger than 24px (ideally 16px).
- Headings should be at least 18px and 22px respectively (or 14pt and 16pt).
Make sure your site complies with these widths because if it doesn't, visitors using mobile devices may have a hard time reading the content on your website!
Tap targets too close together
When Google tested a sample of mobile webpages, they found that sites with small tap targets are likely to fail the mobile-friendly test. This is because it’s harder for users to accurately tap them, especially if they have large fingers and are using a touch screen.
The recommended size for touch targets is 44 × 44 pixels or larger (if you want target sizes in ems or rems, divide by 16). In addition, try not to put more than one link within any given touch target—the more links there are in a single button, the smaller each link will be and the harder it will be for users to determine which one they should click on first.
Viewport not configured
Viewport not configured (not making all pages mobile-friendly). A viewport is the part of a web page that the browser renders. For example, if you visit google.com on a desktop computer, Google uses their default viewport. But if you visit Google on your smartphone or tablet and click through to their mobile site (m.google.com), then they will use an alternate viewport because it's better suited for mobile devices.
This is important because many websites have only one viewport set up! When this happens, any device visiting the site will be stuck in that same mode—even though some visitors may prefer something else!
Content not sized to viewport
With the ever-changing landscape of Google’s algorithms, it can be difficult to keep up with the latest changes. One area that has been recently updated is the Mobile-Friendly Test. Google has updated this test to be more stringent, and as a result, many sites are now failing. Here are some common ways your site might fail the Mobile-Friendly Test:
- Your site is not responsive. This means that your site does not adjust to different screen sizes, making it difficult to read on mobile devices.
- Your content is not easily accessible. This means that users have to scroll horizontally or zoom in order to read your content.
- Your site uses pop-ups or interstitials. These are intrusive ads that obstruct the user’s ability to interact with your content.
- Your buttons and links are too close together. This makes it difficult for users to accurately tap on the desired link or button.
- Your font size is too small. This makes it difficult to read your content on mobile devices.
These are just some of the reasons why your site might fail Google's mobile-friendly test. If you're not sure how to make your site mobile-friendly, contact an SEO in Canberra professional today.
Source: 5 Reasons Your Website Could Fail Google's Mobile-Friendly Test