I just got a Gmail from Google that Mobile-First Indexing is enabled for my blog; What does it mean? Does it affect ranking and SEO? Is it a good news or bad news? Is it another Algorithm Update from Google? This is the query I have been getting so far from my friends in the blogging industry.
Now, If you are still wondering what Google Means by Mobile First Indexing is Enabled for your website then this article is for you. I have gather facts about Mobile-First Indexing from Yoast and Search Engine Land to answer your questions. Enjoy!
Mobile First Indexing means that Google will use the mobile version of the page for indexing and ranking, to better help Phone users find what they’re looking for on the Web.
In short, Google is crawling the web as a smartphone browser would render your website, as opposed to how a desktop browser would. Have you noticed that there are more persons using phones to browse than those using Laptops or desktops?
Now, many of us suffer because some sites are very terrible on mobile phones. Google wants to make us happy by making us experience sites that look good on our phones. I believe this is very clear to my fellow Africa and Nigerian bloggers?
Does Mobile First Indexing Affect SEO or Reduce Ranking? Google hopes that it won’t have an impact on your rankings. But if your site’s content is vastly different on desktop versus mobile, then it can impact your rankings on Google search.
Google has historically moved sites over that show little change between mobile and desktop versions of their site (or if they just have a desktop-only version). But Google with this batch may have moved sites that have more differences between their desktop and mobile site.
Advice from Google? Google issued these clarifications a few months back with new and clearer advice around this change.
Is this Another Algorithm Update? No
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5 Things To Know About Mobile-First Indexing
1. It May Not Affect Your Ranking:
Of more and more sites the mobile version will be indexed. That does not mean that anything big is happening. In fact, it probably doesn’t do anything to your rankings.
Most WordPress sites have a responsive design. This means that both mobile and desktop display the same content. You’ll have nothing to worry about in this case.
If you have different websites for mobile and desktop and your mobile website has far less content ”“ you do have something to worry about.
2. Mobile Friendliness Test:
You do not have to have a mobile site to be in the mobile-first indexing, as Google will index desktop sites as well. But, it’s going to be hard to rank if your site is not mobile friendly. So there’s work to do for all of you who have not have a mobile-friendly site yet.
Check out Google’s mobile friendliness test and check whether or not your site is mobile friendly.
3. Think about UX on Mobile:
A mobile website needs a different design than a desktop version to appeal to your audience. Your screen is tiny.
Google explained last week that hamburger or accordion menus are perfectly fine to use.
These kinds of menus make sense; they help a mobile user to browse through your website. Putting content behind a tab to make the mobile experience better is also totally fine.
4. Write Mobile-Friendly:
Reading from a screen is hard. And reading from a mobile screen is even harder than reading from a big screen.
To attract a mobile audience, you’ll need to have mobile-friendly copy. This means short sentences and compact paragraphs. You need to make sure your font on your mobile site is large and clear enough, and you need to make sure to use enough whitespaces.
5. Check Out Those Mobile Snippets:
Is your audience mainly mobile? Do they come from the mobile search results to your page? Or does most of your organic traffic come from the desktop SERPs? Make sure to check this in your Google Analytics.
If your search traffic is mostly from mobile Search Result Pages, make sure to optimize your mobile snippet in our snippet preview.
Learn SEO SO5E5: Meaning Of Mobile-First Indexing Enabled. Are you satisfied? If No, Feel free to ask me questions and don’t fail to share this with friends.
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Rafweal says
Awesome this is great. Thanks for the insight