On Nov. 18, Google announced that it's rolling out a "mobile-friendly" label in search results that are delivered to mobile devices. Google also is experimenting with increasing the search visibility of mobile friendly sites-- which could put non-mobile-friendly websites at a disadvantage, especially for connecting with local audiences.

If you're involved in a community news or engagement project and haven't yet made sure your website is mobile friendly, now is the time to make this a priority -- particularly since mobile search dominates local search.

Not sure whether your site is already mobile-friendly? Test your site here.

Here is an example of how the new mobile-friendly label looks in mobile search results, via Gigaom:

If you're not ready to completely overhaul your website, there are simple ways you can optimize your site for easier mobile consumption. Google recommends that you:

• Avoid software that not always accessible to mobile browsers, such as Flash.
• Use large enough text that doesn't require zooming.
• Size content to the small screen.
• Don't place links too close too each other, to avoid mistakes in tapping.

It also helps to place your most important information "above the fold," (at the top of the screen) so mobile users can get to it quickly and easily.

If you are currently revamping, or plan to revamp, your website, Google recognizes responsive design as the most efficient way to keep your website screen size-agnostic