Google's mobile-first indexing and what it means for your website

Google’s algorithm is changing to prioritise mobile friendly sites over desktop - are you ready for the switch?

Recognising that the majority of web traffic now comes from a mobile device, Google is changing the way it indexes and ranks websites.

The company announced just over a year ago that it will begin, at some unspecified date, to prioritise the mobile experience over desktop. If your website is a responsive design, where the content of the desktop and mobile experience is the same, happy days, you’ll be fine.

However, if you have a /mobi/ set up or, worse still, no mobile provision at all, you will almost certainly experience a negative impact on your search rankings. Your desktop site will probably still be ranked but Google will be looking for what users see on their mobile. So you best go responsive. Preferably starting today.

Although Google has not yet announced a date for going mobile first, this article in Tech Crunch suggests it has already rolled out the new algorithm in part. This means a full switch over will definitely happen sooner rather than later. Are you ready?

A quick glance up from your smartphone screen will confirm just how important the mobile experience is. Everyone is doing it - reading the news, buying and selling, booking holidays and goofing around on social. Don’t get left behind when the switch becomes permanent.

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Google's mobile-first indexing and what it means for your website

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