Does responsive design effect ranking?

27 replies
  • SEO
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Do you think it makes a difference?

For example a top site in a keyword of mine doesn't seem to have a responsive design but some of the big sites like amazon seem to who also rank well.

Do you think it can help at all going responsive?

Thanks
#design #effect #ranking #responsive
  • Profile picture of the author fast2net
    Design in my experience has nothing to with rankings. So I would say no.
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  • Profile picture of the author paulgl
    Amazon ranks because it's amazon, not because of a responsive design.

    Any site with a few lines of code can be "responsive."

    If one is searching from a mobile device, I only heard a hint of
    google putting some mobile sites up there. But people mistake
    that and go ape over nothing.

    Google does not say that Joe Blow with some responsive website
    would ever get ahead of others just because of a responsive design.

    Rankings aside, if you are not making your site mobile-friendly,
    shame on you. You are leaving a lot of money on the table.

    Mobile-friendly does not need to be responsive.

    The best thing, is for your site to look good across the board, with
    very little extra coding. And that's very, very easy.

    You want as little extra coding as possible. You want all versions to
    be fully crawled and indexed the same. Or, just one great version.
    (More on that below)

    When people start overdoing it, they get into trouble.

    When I talk about hand coding sites in as basic of html as possible,
    that's exactly what I mean. Your site's content should be readily
    available no matter what you are using.

    I would stop worrying about responsive, and start thinking "progressive
    enhancement."

    Funny, nobody seems to talk about that but me. People are
    plug-in-wordpress-widgeting themselves into being almost
    impossible for some mobile devices to even view them.

    Paul
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  • Profile picture of the author redlogics
    responsive web design and mobile usability now a search ranking factor.
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  • Profile picture of the author vkachuliak
    I think it will increase your ranking in mobile search.
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  • Profile picture of the author flukmani
    There are in all more than 200 criteria through which Google Display Search Results.. and one of them is responsive Website Designing.. So yes if its not working correctly than it can affect your search results
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  • I don't think so responsive design effect search ranking .
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  • Profile picture of the author devenn27
    Don't know about rankings, but if you search for something using your mobile you'll notice "Mobile Friendly" next to websites in search results if those websites are responsive to different screen sizes. So i guess that is a signal that google use in their algorithm. How much impact it has i don't know, but it surely has some effect in mobile rankings in my opinion.
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  • Profile picture of the author AndresNWD
    Looks like they are experimenting on this subject. They definitively penalize sites on mobile if they are not responsive.
    And I would say they are going to implement rewards soon or they wouldn't invest time and money on mobile-friendly tests, guidelines, etc More info:
    http://googlewebmastercentral.blogsp...dly-pages.html
    https://www.google.com/webmasters/to...bile-friendly/
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  • Profile picture of the author Joel Young
    As a career website designer for more than 15 years, yes, responsive design/mobile friendly IS IMPORTANT for ranking. In today's mobile-centric world, Google is definitely favouring sites that work well on mobile devices.

    Designing a site or using a design that is not mobile friendly, is useless and near suicidal on today's Web.
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  • Profile picture of the author roysrooter
    Design doesn't matter in SEO.because content is the important for this.if content is unique then SEO never effects bad.
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  • Profile picture of the author scottmacair
    Responsive design effects rankings for searches on touchscreen devices where a responsive design provides a better experience.
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  • Its worthless for ask this question.because SEO never effects with website design,layout etc. only one thing important here is CONTENTS.
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    • Profile picture of the author Joel Young
      Originally Posted by postschiffeonline View Post

      Its worthless for ask this question.because SEO never effects with website design,layout etc. only one thing important here is CONTENTS.
      ...Says the person who didn't read the entire thread.
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    • Profile picture of the author design2host
      Originally Posted by postschiffeonline View Post

      Its worthless for ask this question.because SEO never effects with website design,layout etc. only one thing important here is CONTENTS.
      Oh No!!! Surely Design has a major role in SEO. A MAJOR role. The placement of content if you put it as part of design then yes. If your design html or Code ouweights the content then again YES. Design plays a major role .
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      Working on Web design india and Mobistealth apart from a range of other sites, the name is Rajeev

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    • Profile picture of the author Monatank
      Originally Posted by postschiffeonline View Post

      Its worthless for ask this question.because SEO never effects with website design,layout etc. only one thing important here is CONTENTS.
      The question is not about the SEO effect on website design. Read carefully, it's all about responsive design effect on ranking.
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  • Profile picture of the author seoboyz01
    Here's a really good article about mobile friendly/responsive sites. It doesn't really cover the idea of a responsive design, but more about the issues of tweaking words that make the site usable for a mobile user.

    Why Matt Cutts Is Wrong About Responsive Web Design

    As for what you asked about whether or not a site's responsive design would affect SEO, I think it might if the site is hard to load. If Google can't access your site due to excess code/widgets or other that prevents them from being able to index that page, then the design/theme could be a fault for lower SERP.
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  • Profile picture of the author HamzaTariq001
    In direct responsive desgin has nothing to do with your basic direct SEO. However, the need of all devices website(mobile / tablet ) version can bring extra points. Especially, searches from mobile devices can be improved. Google is now highlighting websites that are mobile ready.
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  • Profile picture of the author rgb
    Guys you are right in part, but I think the answer is actually YES!
    But not directly, a website which is not responsive will have a higher bounce rate.

    and if you have a high bounce rate you won't look good in the eyes of the big G.

    So to answer your question, yes it will help with the rankings a bit.
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  • Profile picture of the author jimmyjohn
    Yes responsive sites are affect on ranking. Responsive sites are helpful to increase the ranking websites.
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  • Google always motivates designers to build responsive design website as it provides good browsing experience to users. And, at last major goal of Google is to provide better experience to users. Simultaneously this good user experience helps your website to attain google keyword ranking. I would also like to share an article where you learn more benefits of responsive website: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/4...-design/92807/
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  • Profile picture of the author rajeshsah45
    Design can't effects website seo.
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    • Profile picture of the author Joel Young
      Originally Posted by rajeshsah45 View Post

      Design can't effects website seo.
      ...says yet another person who didn't read the entire thread.
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  • Profile picture of the author Hag
    It doesn't affect it now, but but but, will it in the future?
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  • Profile picture of the author somyasharma
    Responsive design effects on ranking factor. For mobile users responsive design matter, because it can automatically adjusts a page in a way that webmasters can retain their content on the same URL.
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  • Profile picture of the author chrisv24
    Yes on mobile devices it certainly does. We know that bounce rates and time on site are ranking factors and if these stats are poor on mobile devices you'll appear lower down on mobile results.

    If you look on mobile SERPS there will also be something next to the meta description that says 'mobile friendly.' Its clear that Google are looking more at responsive sites.
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  • Profile picture of the author selenathomas
    Originally Posted by Xelaetaks View Post

    Do you think it makes a difference?

    For example a top site in a keyword of mine doesn't seem to have a responsive design but some of the big sites like amazon seem to who also rank well.

    Do you think it can help at all going responsive?

    Thanks
    Responsive design is not effect your ranking but most of users visit our website around 60% are mobile users. So if your site is not mobile responsive, How your design looking good.

    Now you can check your site into Testing responsive web design in various resolutions | ResponsiveTest
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