Mobile-first indexing refers to Google using the mobile version of a website's content to index and rank pages. Previously, Google relied primarily on the desktop version. With mobile-first indexing, Google crawls and indexes the mobile version first, then the desktop version.
This means the mobile version is critical for SEO. Websites need to be optimized for mobile to rank well. Mobile usability and speed become even more important.
There are a few key reasons Google moved to mobile-first:
- Mobile usage continues to grow - More than 50% of searches now happen on mobile devices.
- Better mobile experience - The switch ensures Google indexes the best version of a page. The mobile version tends to be cleaner and faster.
- Mobile-friendliness as a ranking factor - Google wants to surface mobile-friendly pages in search results. Mobile-first indexing aligns with this.
- Consistency across devices - Rankings and indexing are now consistent, regardless of device. There's less fragmentation.
Switching to mobile-first indexing provides several benefits:
- Improved mobile SEO - Optimizing for mobile becomes the priority for rankings. No more separate mobile and desktop strategies.
- Faster page speeds - With mobile page speed as the benchmark, sites are motivated to improve speed. This leads to better user experience.
- Streamlined development - Building for mobile-first is widely considered best practice for web development. Mobile-first indexing further cements this.
- More mobile users - By ranking fast, mobile-friendly pages higher, Google sends more mobile traffic.
- Future-proofing - As mobile usage increases, mobile-first indexing future-proofs sites.
Here are some tips to prepare:
- Test your site on mobile - Check pages are mobile-friendly and usable on mobile devices.
- Improve mobile page speed - Pages should load fast (under 3 seconds). Optimize images, minify CSS/JS, and more.
- Avoid separate mobile URLs - Use responsive design instead of separate mobile URLs.
- Check structured data - Structured data should be consistent across desktop and mobile.
- Simplify mobile navigation - Menus and navigation elements should be easy to use on mobile.
- Monitor with Google tools - Use the Mobile-Friendly Test and Mobile Usability Report.
If your desktop pages currently outrank your mobile:
- Work on your mobile optimization - Improve speed, usability, etc until your mobile experience is on par.
- Align content across devices - Make sure content is the same on mobile and desktop.
- Avoid separate mobile URLs - Consolidate to responsive design using one URL.
- Submit mobile URLs in Search Console - Switch to preferring mobile versions in Search Console.
- Add structured data to mobile - Match any structured data on desktop so it's on mobile too.
The timeline varies per site. But most sites can expect:
- 1-3 months for Google to fully index the mobile version.
- 3-9 months for rankings to stabilize and reflect the switch.
- 9-12 months for traffic levels to normalize again.
Monitor your data in Search Console throughout. The change is gradual, not a single flip of a switch.
If you only have a desktop site, you should still prepare for mobile-first indexing:
- Build a responsive mobile version - Work on converting your site to be responsive.
- Implement dynamic serving - Use dynamic serving to detect and serve mobile users a scaled-down version.
- Speed up your desktop site - Optimize your current desktop site as much as possible for speed.
- Plan for a decline in mobile traffic - Expect to lose mobile search traffic until you have a mobile experience.
Mobile-first indexing means Google uses the mobile version of pages for ranking.
It creates consistency between mobile and desktop rankings.
Speed, usability and mobile optimization now impact SEO more directly.
Most sites will need 3-12 months to fully transition and stabilize rankings.
Building for mobile-first is key to preparing for and benefiting from the switch.
