What is mobile-first indexing?
Mobile-first indexing is the process of prioritizing mobile content over desktop content when indexing a website. It was announced by Google in late 2016 as a way to ensure that users have the best experience when browsing the web on their mobile devices. In early 2018, Google began rolling out mobile-first indexing to more users. If your website isn’t yet optimized for mobile, now is the time to make the changes needed to ensure that your site performs well on smartphones and tablets.
Some things to keep in mind when optimizing your site for mobile-first indexing:
- Make sure your content is easily accessible on mobile devices. This means using a responsive design or a dynamic serving approach.
- Use the same URL for both your mobile and desktop content. Google will automatically detect which version of your site to index based on the user’s device.
- Ensure that your mobile content is as comprehensive as your desktop content. This includes having the same amount of text, images, videos, and other information on both versions of your site.
- Optimize your site for speed. Mobile users are less likely to wait around for a slow-loading page than desktop users. Make sure your site loads fastly on all devices.
Following these best practices, you can ensure that your site is prepared for mobile-first indexing. Google’s shift to mobile-first indexing is a reflection of the changing way users browse the web. More and more people are using their smartphones and tablets to access information online, so your site must be optimized for these devices. By making sure your content is easily accessible on mobile devices and that your site loads quickly, you can give users the best experience possible when they visit your site.
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How will this change the way websites are ranked on search results pages?
Mobile-first indexing will change the way websites are ranked on search results pages. Google will now prioritize mobile content over desktop content when indexing a website. This means that if your website is not optimized for mobile devices, it could be penalized in the search results. To avoid this, make sure your site is responsive or has a dynamic serving approach. You should also use the same URL for both your mobile and desktop content, and ensure that your mobile content is as comprehensive as your desktop content.
Finally, optimize your site for speed to ensure that it loads quickly on all devices. By following these best practices, you can ensure that your site is prepared for mobile-first indexing.
