What Google’s “Mobilegeddon” Means for Employers

by Jan Hughes

If there wasn’t already an urgent need for employers to have mobile-friendly career and job listings web pages, there certainly is now.

On April 21 Google launched a new search algorithm that favours mobile-friendly websites in mobile search results. This means that if your web page isn’t mobile-friendly, it will likely see a drop in job seeker visits.

Why does this matter to employers?

Mobile search queries are rapidly increasing

• On May 5, Google announced that more of their search queries occur on mobile devices than on desktop computers in 10 countries.

If employers want to maximize the number of candidates they’re reaching they need to consider mobile

• The challenge for employers is clear: adapt recruitment methods to stay relevant to people who are spending more time on mobile devices. Companies that want to reach the rapidly growing mobile segment must offer a positive mobile experience.

Job opportunities and application information should be easily accessible

• Job seekers may be inclined to abandon the idea of applying for a position with your organization if they are struggling to easily access job opportunities and application information while on your site. This means that both career landing pages and job listings pages need to be mobile-friendly. Without these elements, employers are reducing their ability to connect with job seekers and failing to make their best first impression.

Mobile usage in Canada

ComScore, a global leader in digital media analytics, issues an annual report on Canadian trends in web usage, mobile, social media and more. According to their 2014 findings, Canadians are among the most engaged members of the global digital community, spending more than 36 hours online per month, on average. While activity on desktops has flattened, mobile usage is growing rapidly, especially on smartphones. In fact, in 2014 almost 50 per cent of Canadians’ access to the internet was through mobile devices.

Smartphones have made it possible for people to scan online job boards and receive email notifications from just about anywhere. Increasingly, candidates expect to be able to search and apply for jobs through their mobile device. Pew’s report on U.S. smartphone use in 2015 found that 43 per cent of smartphone users have used their device to look up information about a job and 18 per cent have used it to submit a job application.

A win-win situation?

With this move, Google will be supporting brands that are mobile-friendly and punishing ones that aren’t. Like all of us, Google has also been affected by the rapid shift to mobile. While this change ultimately supports their bottom line, it should also create a better experience for mobile users. If you’re unsure whether Google considers your web page as mobile-friendly, you can use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to check.

Given the rate at which mobile usage is growing, employers should work quickly to ensure that their site delivers a positive mobile user experience to attract the best candidates.