Optimising Your Google Sites Website for Mobile SEO

With more than half of internet traffic coming from mobile devices, ensuring that your website looks and works great on smartphones is essential. Luckily, New Google Sites automatically creates a mobile-optimised version of your website, so you don’t need to worry about complex responsive design. But there are still some key practices to keep in mind to ensure a top-notch experience for every visitor. Mobile-friendly design is not just about functionality; it’s also a significant factor in SEO, as search engines favour sites that provide a seamless experience across devices.

New Google Sites takes care of most of the heavy lifting when it comes to mobile design. As soon as you create a page, Google Sites formats it for smaller screens, adjusting text, images, and layout. However, while this automatic setup covers the basics, there are still steps you can take to enhance readability and interactivity. Simple adjustments can make all the difference, creating a smoother experience that keeps mobile visitors engaged.

Check the Google Fonts website to see which fonts are trending.

For mobile users, there’s nothing more frustrating than struggling to tap tiny buttons or links. In Google Sites, ensure that any clickable elements—like buttons, menu items, or links—are large enough to be tapped easily with a thumb. Position these elements with enough space around them to avoid accidental clicks. This small adjustment can make your site feel much more user-friendly.

Quality images are essential for any site, but large, high-resolution files can slow down load times on mobile. Before uploading images to your Google Site, try compressing them to reduce file size without compromising quality. Faster loading times lead to a better user experience and positively impact SEO.

If you use videos, make sure they display correctly on mobile. In some cases, large videos can take up too much screen space or appear cut-off. Google Sites does a good job resizing videos, but double-check in mobile preview mode to ensure everything looks just right.

As you build your site, switch frequently to Google Sites’ mobile preview mode to see how your layout will appear on mobile devices. This preview feature allows you to catch any issues—like overlapping text or images—before publishing, helping you create a consistent, polished design across devices.

Sometimes, a layout that looks great on desktop may not translate perfectly to mobile. Use Google Sites’ drag-and-drop features to adjust padding and margins, ensuring that text and images aren’t too close to the edges or each other. Clean spacing not only makes your content easier to read but also makes the entire site feel more professional.

Google has moved to a mobile-first indexing approach, meaning it prioritizes the mobile version of your site when determining rankings. By optimizing your Google Site for mobile, you’re aligning with Google’s expectations, which can positively impact your SEO. Sites that offer a smooth, user-friendly experience on mobile are more likely to rank well in search results.

A mobile-friendly site encourages visitors to stay longer, reducing bounce rates. Google tracks how long users stay on a site; a quick exit (high bounce rate) can indicate poor user experience, impacting your rankings. With Google Sites’ mobile optimization, you have a head start, but reviewing and refining your mobile design can ensure you provide the best experience possible.

While New Google Sites automatically creates a mobile-friendly version of your site, taking additional steps to optimise font sizes, button spacing, image quality, and layout can make a big difference. A well-optimised mobile design improves user experience, reduces bounce rates, and aligns with Google’s mobile-first indexing, all of which can boost your SEO performance. Checking your site with mobile preview mode ensures every visitor gets a polished experience, no matter their device.