There is a joke in the world of search:

Q: What's the difference between the Google Search Algorithm and the Almighty? 

A: The Algorithm, mysterious though are its ways, is not arbitrary.

Suffice to say that it is not surprising that when that leviathan is updated, the levee can easily break and upend the order of things.

I am of course referring to the recent update to Google's search algorithms, which will now give preference to mobile-friendly webpages when the search is performed on a mobile device. As we all know from personal experience, the order of Google search results is paramount - if your business/brand/site does not show up in the first few results pages, it is virtually non-existent for millions of customers. 

Of course, this change has been announced in advance and does not apply to web searches conducted on desktop computers and  real-intent-behind-the-query considerations are not ignored in favor of mobile-friendliness.

But in a world of choice and where consumer interactions are increasingly initiated on the smartphone, being pushed back in Google results pages can be highly detrimental to your bottom line. In short, while this is an affirmative action for businesses that have mobile-friendly websites, it's a big kick in the behind for those that have been ignoring mobile.

Not just small businesses but surprisingly, many big brands also have been caught napping. Before it's too late and (mobile)  consumer loyalties shift away to your competition, mobile-enable your digital estates. My advice is that don't just stop at making your websites mobile friendly but use this as an opportunity to craft a longer-term mobility strategy for your organization. Also, make sure that your mobility strategy is not only for your customers and marketplace but also encompasses your employees and the digital workplace.

Competence in crafting superior mobile experiences for your customers and employees is turning out to be the killer-app for competitive differentiation. But it requires that you think and approach your mobility projects differently than your regular IT projects or even your early mobility projects centered around mobile device management or simplistic app management practices. 

There's no app for that but our enterprise mobile technology research has got the bases covered when it comes to identifying best practices and picking the products and tools you'll need to help you on this journey.