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Google’s focus from Mobile-Friendly to Mobile-First What Hoteliers Need to know

You would have to be living under a rock not to be aware of the many changes that hoteliers must adapt to when becoming compliant, and keep or gain a competitive edge in today's digital landscape. Insiders know that Google quietly makes hundreds of algorithm changes every year, and we all must adjust accordingly.

Two years ago, INNsight shared the information that "As of April, Google and Bing will penalize websites that are not mobile friendly thereby denying potential guests the ability to book a reservation."

INNsight's education article: “Mobile Websites: Responsive vs. Adaptive design. The importance of having an optimized standalone website and mobile website that drives direct traffic" explains in great detail, why hoteliers need to have a standalone website that is responsive and lightning fast. Your site needs to render immediate content without the need to scroll, but rather move to fit any screen size on all devices. Your responsive site needs to be high-performing and offer a great user experience. Additionally, you need to provide rich content on your site that is compelling and search engine friendly; which is just the tip of the digital iceberg.

Google Speaks, and The World Stands at Attention

Google's mobile-friendly stance was just the precursor for their new mobile-FIRST index, and they have the world’s attention yet again. Data show that mobile use across the globe dominates as the tool of choice over desktop. Mobile use, which has passed expectations, is 51% higher in the US.

Google Is Not Abandoning Your Desktop

Although Google is adopting a Mobile-First approach, they are in no way abandoning the desktop, & laptop. While the Smartphone is overwhelmingly popular for social media, searches, messaging and catching up on emails; many people in our multi-device society still rely on their desktop for more detailed reviews and purchasing. Because of this, Google is not abandoning your desktop. The desktop indexes will simply be updated after mobile.

What This Means for You

To prevent your ranking from dropping like a stone, you need to have a user-friendly, responsive website that is optimized to ensure that you are not left behind. However, you won’t want to go it alone. Unless as a hotelier, you have spare time to master coding and implementation strategies, and you have a firm command of fluid grids, CSS, HTML files, and flexible foundations; you will want to work with a professional company that specializes in digital marketing and web design. INNsight knows how to navigate this landscape and offers the only complete digital marketing system in the hospitality industry. With INNsight, your website will be responsive, optimized, and your accommodation’s website will be ADA Title III compliant by conforming to Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. And your site will never be outdated.

About INNsight.com

At INNsight, we know hotels and website design. Our San Francisco-based company has been artfully crafting responsive hotel websites and has been driving hotel digital marketing over a decade. Our understanding of how travelers’ search, research, and book hotel rooms, leads our fine-tuned design standards. Our user-friendly framework lets a traveler look, and then drives them to book their stay with ease. We use this INNsight to develop the most advanced hotel websites leveraging the latest web technologies and usability best practices to drive higher user engagement and conversion.

If you would like a free audit of your current website or would like more information about how INNsight can help your property’s digital marketing through our Award-Winning Technology and awesome customer service, don't hesitate to call: 415.741.4113 or email: sales@INNsight.com or go to: www.isuite.INNsight.com