[Hot] Google's Mobile-First Index: What You Need to Know
Google implemented its mobile-first index index, the search engine's new system for crawling and indexing the web, two years ago. In the past, Google crawled and indexed desktop pages first. Now Google prefers mobiles pages.
Announcing this change, Google noted the search engine will "eventually primarily use the mobile version of a site’s content to rank pages from that site, to understand structured data, and to show snippets from those pages in our results" (Source).
In fact, yesterday Google announced that the search engine now uses mobile content "for over half of the pages shown in search results globally."
Is your website ready for mobile-indexing? For an easy answer, take Google's "Mobile-Friendly Test." You can also perform a "website performance audit" your site performs well on all devices.
If your site is mobile-friendly, you're good to go. If your site is not "mobile-friendly," your rankings may be impacted.
As Search Engine Land noted yesterday: "If your desktop pages are different from your mobile pages both in terms of content and structured data, then your rankings may be impacted."
In other words, if you've placed undue emphasis on your desktop site, optimizing desktop pages without regard for your mobile site, you should change course. At the very least, as Google continues to move all websites to mobile-first indexing, the search engine will prefer competitor's sites that have been optimized for mobile.
Is it Time to Panic?
If your website is not ready for mobile-first indexing, you may feel a sudden sense of anxiety. Will your site lose its spot on the SERP? Will you lose rankings? Probably not. So don't panic--not yet. After all, it's not "mobilegeddon."
Several years ago, Google made a flurry of announcements about its mobile-friendly ranking signal, warning about "critical mobile usability errors," and urging sites to optimize for mobile. Some in the SEO world predicted a Mobilegeddon--a dramatic shift in rankings that might destroy any site not optimized for mobile.
In the end, mobilegeddon was a "non event." A few weeks later, Mark Munroe, who wrote an analysis of the numbers of Marketing Land, noted: "I have direct access to several sites that are extremely mobile unfriendly to the point of being mobile-nasty. And yet … I can barely discern a difference."
In its announcement yesterday, Google noted that it only moves a site to mobile-first indexing when the site is ready--so the search engine is taking a softer tone this time.
Still, the point remains: If you're not mobile-friendly, and you're competing to fulfill a browser's needs with a site that emphasize desktop pages, you will likely lose traffic--and potentially business.
Mobile-First Indexing: What You Need to Know
In the past, Google said the mobile-first index will not significantly effect rankings. However, now this may not be the case (for the reasons noted above). And, of course, mobile-friendliness is not simply about rankings--it's about user experience (which indirectly effects rankings).
Without mobile optimization, a website may appear on mobile devices, but it will look and perform poorly. We're talking about sites that require pinching and zooming to read the content (yes, these sites still exist).
The solution to the problem, however, is exceedingly simple. As Google notes, "If your site uses responsive design techniques, you should be all set!"
Alex Stepman, our blog's sponsor, optimizes all sites for mobile and desktop with a responsive design, which format's a website's design for any and every device.
Need Mobile SEO Help? Call Stepman's SEO!
E-commerce is now a mobile game! If you sell a high-quality product that deserves customers, you also deserve a well-optimized mobile website.
Do not let the changing search landscape compromise your sales. Now, more than ever, you need the astute wisdom of a professional search engine optimization professional.
Stepman's SEO performs comprehensive mobile website audits. Call today to learn how you can improve your website's mobile performance: 215-900-9398.
Announcing this change, Google noted the search engine will "eventually primarily use the mobile version of a site’s content to rank pages from that site, to understand structured data, and to show snippets from those pages in our results" (Source).
In fact, yesterday Google announced that the search engine now uses mobile content "for over half of the pages shown in search results globally."
Is your website ready for mobile-indexing? For an easy answer, take Google's "Mobile-Friendly Test." You can also perform a "website performance audit" your site performs well on all devices.
If your site is mobile-friendly, you're good to go. If your site is not "mobile-friendly," your rankings may be impacted.
As Search Engine Land noted yesterday: "If your desktop pages are different from your mobile pages both in terms of content and structured data, then your rankings may be impacted."
In other words, if you've placed undue emphasis on your desktop site, optimizing desktop pages without regard for your mobile site, you should change course. At the very least, as Google continues to move all websites to mobile-first indexing, the search engine will prefer competitor's sites that have been optimized for mobile.
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| Most people use smartphones (or other devices) to browse the web. Is your site "mobile-friendly?" |
If your website is not ready for mobile-first indexing, you may feel a sudden sense of anxiety. Will your site lose its spot on the SERP? Will you lose rankings? Probably not. So don't panic--not yet. After all, it's not "mobilegeddon."
Several years ago, Google made a flurry of announcements about its mobile-friendly ranking signal, warning about "critical mobile usability errors," and urging sites to optimize for mobile. Some in the SEO world predicted a Mobilegeddon--a dramatic shift in rankings that might destroy any site not optimized for mobile.
In the end, mobilegeddon was a "non event." A few weeks later, Mark Munroe, who wrote an analysis of the numbers of Marketing Land, noted: "I have direct access to several sites that are extremely mobile unfriendly to the point of being mobile-nasty. And yet … I can barely discern a difference."
In its announcement yesterday, Google noted that it only moves a site to mobile-first indexing when the site is ready--so the search engine is taking a softer tone this time.
Still, the point remains: If you're not mobile-friendly, and you're competing to fulfill a browser's needs with a site that emphasize desktop pages, you will likely lose traffic--and potentially business.
Mobile-First Indexing: What You Need to Know
In the past, Google said the mobile-first index will not significantly effect rankings. However, now this may not be the case (for the reasons noted above). And, of course, mobile-friendliness is not simply about rankings--it's about user experience (which indirectly effects rankings).
Without mobile optimization, a website may appear on mobile devices, but it will look and perform poorly. We're talking about sites that require pinching and zooming to read the content (yes, these sites still exist).
The solution to the problem, however, is exceedingly simple. As Google notes, "If your site uses responsive design techniques, you should be all set!"
Alex Stepman, our blog's sponsor, optimizes all sites for mobile and desktop with a responsive design, which format's a website's design for any and every device.
Need Mobile SEO Help? Call Stepman's SEO!
E-commerce is now a mobile game! If you sell a high-quality product that deserves customers, you also deserve a well-optimized mobile website.
Do not let the changing search landscape compromise your sales. Now, more than ever, you need the astute wisdom of a professional search engine optimization professional.
Stepman's SEO performs comprehensive mobile website audits. Call today to learn how you can improve your website's mobile performance: 215-900-9398.