A mobile-optimized website is no longer a nice-to-have. Handheld devices allow you to engage your association members no matter where they are; but only if your site is designed for screens of all types and sizes.

As of April 21, Google factors mobile-friendliness into its search engine rankings. Dubbed Mobilegeddon, Google’s latest algorithm update has so far proven less apocalyptic to the SERPs* than feared. Associations should still take heed.

Not sure if your website is friend or foe? Take Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.

Now take a moment to view your site on a mobile phone:

• Do you have to scroll sideways to read lines of text?
• Is your text legible without having to zoom in?
• Are images, video and other graphics readily viewable? (Note: Many mobile platforms don’t support Flash video.)
• Does your site load quickly?

People search and consume Web content on many different platforms. Screen sizes vary among desktops, tablets, phones, and even TVs and wearables. Plus device screen sizes keep changing, so it’s important that your site be able to adapt.

Responsive web design is Google’s recommended design format. It responds to the users’ needs and the devices they use. For example, website content may appear as a single column on a phone, while the same content might appear as two columns on a tablet and three columns on a desktop. To stay top of mind on Google, your site needs to be responsive.

More tips for a mobile-friendly website:

• Make your site touch-friendly, allowing enough space around actionable items such as buttons, navigation tabs and links to be triggered with a touch of a finger.
• Avoid mouse-overs. There are no mice with mobile.
• Use a simple, easy-to-read font between 12 to 16 pixels.
• Avoid pop-ups, which can be even more obtrusive on a small screen.
• Maximize speed. Shoot for page load times of 4 seconds or less. Mobile users are on the go, multitasking at a feverish pace and they want their info to keep up.

*For more on SERPs and their importance, see Association Website Strategy Calls for Commitment, Competition and Accountability.