Google’s Mobile First Index: Is your Website Ready?

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.