Mobile-First Indexing: What You Need to Know About It

Connectica • February 16, 2018 • SEO

Mobile-First Indexing

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What To Do If You Don’t Have A Mobile Website
Tips To Help Prepare For Mobile-First Indexing

Read Time: 4 minutes

You might be wondering what Mobile-First Indexing is and how to prepare for it, well then, you’ve come to the right place. Google has been talking about rolling out a new search ranking system called Mobile-First Indexing – what this means is that Google will be redesigning how its indexing system works. In the very near future, expected to be rolling out in 2018. Google will be ranking its search listings based on the mobile version of your content, this includes searches which are performed on desktop computers as well.

Okay, so why has Google decided to make this switch to Mobile-First Indexing? The main reason is due to the fact that we are living in a time where people expect to have answers available to them instantly and at their fingertips. This makes sense as smartphones have almost completely replaced traditional cell phones of the past. In a study performed by Google it was found that 80% of their user base makes use of a smartphone to search the web, where-as only 67% of their user base use a computer. This clearly indicates that we are a Mobile-First society, and as time goes by more people will have access to smartphones due to the low price of entry level smartphones.

It is because of this that Google has decided to implement Mobile-First Indexing. This provides indexing and results which are geared towards the majority of their user base, namely smartphone users. Simply put Google’s old search engine has discovered and indexed new websites by crawling though links for a desktop computer’s browser point-of-view, but now Google is changing their crawling and indexing of websites to be from a mobile browser’s point-of-view

What To Do If You Don’t Have A Mobile Website

Due to Mobile-First Indexing this will leave you at a slight disadvantage, however Google has expressed to its users that they don’t have to worry. Even though Google would prefer you to have a mobile site it won’t stop crawling your desktop only version of a website and will continue to index your desktop version of a website.

Tips To Help Prepare For Mobile-First Indexing

Some of these tips will require investment from your business from a financial point-of-view. However, to ensure a smooth transition to Mobile-First Indexing and thus keeping your business’s indexing rank you should definitely consider looking for company which specializes in both Search Engine Optimization and website design.

Start by Creating a Mobile-Friendly Website If You Don’t Have One
We are currently in the Information Age. Where we tend to use the internet for almost everything, such as communication, sales, social media, advertising, brand management and exposure. You are not doing your business any favours by not having a mobile-friendly website in the Information Age. So hop to it and get your business a mobile-friendly website before the switch to Mobile-First Indexing occurs.

Keep Tabs On Google’s Blog
Google constantly releases detailed information on their ventures and upcoming technologies to their webmaster’s blog. Here you can find detailed information on how best to prepare for Mobile-First Indexing and what better way to prepare, than by reading straight from the source.

Make Your Website Responsive
Should you have a separate mobile website which is not identical to its desktop version then you will definitely run into ranking issues when Mobile-First Indexing is rolled out. Having a singular website which is able to adapt to any device is what is meant by a responsive website, this is appealing for two reasons. Firstly, you will be complying with what Google expects from you for Mobile-First Indexing, it should be noted however that if you have a separate mobile site Google will be prioritizing your mobile site over the desktop version. Secondly, you will be future proofing your website should Google decide to move their rankings solely to responsive websites in the future.

Don’t Want To Go Responsive? Ensure Your Desktop Site Is The Same As Your Mobile Site
As mentioned earlier Google will be prioritizing your mobile site over the desktop version with Mobile-First Indexing. So, should there be any discrepancies between the two this could end up having a negative impact on your ranking, which is another reason you should go responsive. However, if going responsive is not an option for your business as it is a financial investment you’re not willing to make then ensure that all the content which is on your desktop website is on your mobile site as well.

Google is attempting to accommodate its user base by making the move towards Mobile-First Indexing and whilst it is an intimidating prospect, it is geared at improving the quality of searches for the everyday mobile user. The best way to tackle Mobile-First Indexing is by preparing for the switch right away. Google has also just announced that they will be including page loading speed in their mobile search rankings from July 2018, while not directly part of their Mobile-First Indexing system you should definitely prepare for it as if it were part of the Mobile-First Indexing. Essentially, the faster your mobile webpage loads the better your webpage will rank in their new system. So, should you not have a mobile site yet, 2018 is the year to get one, and if you do have a mobile site remember to make the switch to responsive site.

For all your website design and maintenance needs feel free to get in touch with the team at Connectica – we are a digital marketing company which specializes in Search Engine Optimization and Website Design.

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