Google
has already started rolling out their mobile-first
index. This means they are ranking search results based on the
mobile version of a site’s content instead of by the desktop
version as it currently does. You may wonder why they are making this
change and how it affects your website. Those are a few questions we
hope to answer for you!
Why
the change?
More
and more searches today are done on a mobile device. Mobile traffic
has surpassed desktop traffic, with more than half of all worldwide
website traffic being on a mobile phone or tablet. Mobile traffic
will only continue to grow. Mobile phones have become an integral
part of our lives. Google recognizes this and wants to help mobile
users find what they’re looking for faster and easier. Thus, the
move to a mobile-first index.
What is mobile-first indexing?
Mobile-first
indexing means Google will start with the mobile version of a website
when building their index. It is important to note that this is
mobile-first, not mobile-only. Google explains they will continue to
have one single index they will use for search results. They won’t
have a separate “mobile-first index” that’s different from the
main index. Historically, the desktop version was indexed, but
increasingly, Google will be using the mobile version of sites. You
can think of the mobile version of your site as the main version.
If
a website does not have a mobile version, the desktop version can
still be included in the index. However, the lack of a
mobile-friendly experience can negatively impact rankings for the
site. On the other hand, if a site has a mobile and desktop version,
there should not be a significant impact in terms of a site’s
performance in search results.
What
about my website?
The
answer to this question depends on the type of mobile version you
have for your site. If your website uses responsive
design (meaning the desktop and mobile versions are the same),
you should be good to go. You’ll just want to make sure your mobile
site is optimized for page speed, load time and navigation.
If
you have a separate mobile site, you’ll want to make sure the
mobile version contains everything your desktop site does. You also
want to make sure it’s optimized for speed, etc.
If
you currently do not have a mobile version of your website, you will
definitely want to consider getting one sooner rather than later.
Your content can still be indexed; however, your rankings will fall
in comparison to mobile-friendly sites. Also, with the growing
percentage of mobile users, it just makes sense to have a mobile
version of your site.
If
you need help getting your website ready for Google’s mobile-first
index or you have more questions, give WebDrafter a call today at
717-589-7812 or contact
us. We can set you up with a mobile or responsive site, as well
as optimize it for you.
