Google Rolls Out Mobile-First Indexing

Google has made a big step in its shift toward mobile by announcing it will now prioritize and index mobile sites before desktop.

In 2016, Google announced it would change the way its search index operates, gearing its algorithms toward the mobile version of sites. Google began a test run in December of 2017 and announced it’s conducting its first wave of transitioning as of March 2018.

According to Google’s Webmaster Central Blog, mobile-first indexing means Google will utilize the mobile version of a web page for indexing and ranking, to better help primarily mobile users find the answers to their search queries.

Simply put, as mobile search has surpassed desktop search, Google wants to ensure that mobile users are shown content that is formatted to fit their screen and a website they can navigate efficiently. This is due to desktop sites often having features that include elements that are missing or created to be viewed on mobile devices. If a mobile user clicks on a Google search result and the page loaded is optimized for desktop, this can cause issues with reading content, site navigation, and conversion (forms & phone calls). Google wants to make its search engine results pages (SERPs) are as efficient as possible for all users, regardless of device.

Although Google claims that the mobile-first indexing won’t directly impact website rankings, it does note that having a mobile-friendly site will likely help it to better perform in mobile search results.

Google’s transition to mobile-first indicates a lucrative opportunity for businesses to update their site’s mobile optimization to adjust to Google’s new ranking methods.

There are many facets to mobile optimization including but not limited to

• Responsive Web Design
• Avoid using interstitials
• Maximizing Site Speed with Search Engine Optimization
• Using Schema Markup to Create Knowledge Graphs

Google’s entire business and foundation is built upon the principle of giving users the information they want as fast and accurate as possible. If a user searches “home A/C repair”, they want to see a compiled list of the closest a/c repair businesses in their area and the phone number easily clickable (no one has time to memorize a number and manually type it in their keypad).

Whether you’re a local business looking to drive foot traffic, or an online retailer looking to increase sales, ensuring your website is mobile responsive is more important than ever.

Not sure if your website complies? Contact Exults Internet Marketing to see how we can bring your website to the forefront of search engine results and bring you the business you want today!