What is it?
“Mobile first indexing” – you’ve been seeing these words floating around the web lately, but you’re a bit stumped as to what they mean. It’s especially worrisome to come across this term while uninformed if you’re involved in web development or digital marketing, given that this new system of Google’s is way on the rise.
You may have noticed when Googling on your phone over the last couple of years that some websites pop up with a mobile friendly version available. This is just one facet of the plan that Google has for the future of its search results and the colossal amount of content people are viewing through Google on a daily basis. Put simply, mobile first indexing involves a search engine (Google) utilizing the mobile-friendly content from a website to index the page. What this essentially means is that the content on web pages will be easier to read, and Google search results may even include relevant snippets from articles.
As it turns out, Google’s been working on this project since around 2016; as of the end of 2018, over half of all web pages that pop up from Google search results are using mobile first indexing. What’s more, Google has revealed that their ultimate plan is to ensure all new web pages registered after July 1st, 2019 will use mobile first indexing by default.
What does Mobile First Indexing mean for me?
If your relationship with Google only goes so far as to provide you with handy dandy answers to all those weird questions that keep you up at night, or that meatloaf recipe you can’t remember off the tip of your tongue, worry not. Mobile first indexing simply means your search results will be better suited for optimal performance, particularly when searching from a smartphone.
If you are a little bit more involved with web development, digital marketing and/or Search Engine Optimization (SEO), now is the time to familiarize yourself with Google’s new world order. Luckily, there are a few tools available to help you out in making sure your website is prepared for the future!
Want to find out how optimized your web page is in the face of these big changes with Google? Visit this link to utilize Google’s URL Inspection Tool. Alternatively, get in contact with one of our Net Branding team members to find out the best way to optimize your website for the ever-changing nature of our World Wide Web.
