How to Adopt Mobile First Indexing to Your Website
At the time when the SEO expert had started feeling that there was nothing new to SEO beyond technical optimization, the SEO world changed suddenly. Mobile devices have already made an impact on SEO with their responsive design to make its presence known to mobile users.
Google started encouraging mobile friendly websites, but had not made any changes to its search algorithms revolved around desktops. Soon, the need to recast search algorithms for mobile devices ushered in the age of the mobile first index in November 2016 that changed things forever in the world of search engines. As an entrepreneur, you must have already found it hard to figure out SEO, and this new change is likely to compound your problems. To make things easy for you, in this article, you will learn how to position your website to rank well by adopting this change.
Why is the focus on mobile first indexing?
It is not only because more and more people are accessing the Internet from mobile devices that prompted Google to give all attention to mobile devices. That the majority of searches happen from mobile devices is indeed an important consideration, but there are some more reasons that have made the issue so compelling for Google. Mobile searches used to happen when people did not have access to desktops and were on the move. However, nowadays even when people are stationary at one place, the mobile is the chosen device for searching. People do almost 77% searches when they are at work or home but from their mobile devices. The third reason is more high impacting because mobile searches culminate in the conversion rate of 90%. Ultimately, mobile searches are responsible for the real action that set the coffers ringing, and this has made Google take the mobile first stand.
What is a mobile first index?
Google’s search indexing will remain unchanged, as it continues to be the same for apps and websites. However, there will be changes in the search algorithm for the mobile version of content, displayed on mobile screens to extract snippets from it and show it in search results. It will also use mobile content for understanding the structured data. However, the search experience on both desktops and mobile devices will remain the same. The mobile version of your website is what Google will now consider for search rankings. Optimizing websites for mobile will help rank on all kinds of devices, including desktops. Therefore, a responsive website optimized for mobile devices is now a necessity and no more an option.
Google’s expectation from mobile first index
Without much fuss, Google has made it clear what it expects from the mobile first index. The website design will allow the use to upload complete content with all its elements on the page and be able to read it without the need of using buttons or unnecessary features. The message is loud and clear — use responsive design, optimize content for mobile and create a mobile first strategy to make your website compatible with what Google wants.
Take advantage of responsive web design
Since it is now essential to display websites on mobile devices with ease of viewing it on desktops and laptops, you must use responsive web design for creating websites. One thing to remember is that following responsive design is as important as making websites mobile-friendly. The responsive design allows websites to modify the design elements according to the type of device and the size of the screen, and the mobile friendly feature ensures that it works the same way across all devices. The website, designed for mobile devices, will look the same when viewed on desktops.
Content optimization for mobile devices
It makes sense to assume that the largest section of viewed content is on mobile devices simply because it is the device of choice for American adults when surfing the Internet. SEO Expert Gilbert AZ is taking a mobile first approach, paying attention to the content structure and dividing into short paragraphs for ease of viewing on mobile devices. Use more infographics for accommodating more information in a smaller space. It is a great way of making mobile users enjoy the content as they would on desktops.
You need to change your attitude. Everything you create for your website must revolve around mobile devices that are also compatible with desktops and not the other way around. Accept the fact that what looks good on mobile will look good on any other device, and then you are on board with Google’s mobile first index.
