With its ease of use, convenience and pocket-size mobility it is no wonder that cell phones have taken the world and South Africa by storm. The number of mobile internet users is growing continuously, and businesses need to adapt to becoming mobile friendly or they’ll be left behind.
Mobile First Indexing
Before we delve into what mobile-first indexing is, let’s explain “indexing” as a whole.
- Google stores all its information inside an enormous database
- If Google can access your website, it means that your website pages are also stored inside that database
- This means that your website has been “indexed”
Think of Google as a giant library, and your website as a book on the shelf.
What mobile-first indexing means is that Google will look at how mobile-friendly your website is and store your website’s mobile version for users to see, before even looking at your desktop version. With an estimated 70% of all website searches done on a mobile device, it is no wonder that Google has taken mobile searches seriously.
Factors Google Looks Out For
- Can your website be viewed on a mobile device?
- Can users see and read your content on a mobile device?
- Does your website content adjust according to screen size? If the answer is yes. Then you are in luck and you have a responsive website. If not, then looking into having a responsive website designed is on the cards.
Your Website Speed
In an age where we expect instant gratification, Google will take into account how long users will have to wait for your website to load on their mobile devices. Having a slow site means that Google will stop showing your site to users. Google’s aim is to provide the best possible experience for users; if your site can’t supply that, Google won’t recommend it. A great tool to use is the Page Speed Insights tool from Google.
Easy Navigation
- Is it easy for users to scroll through your site and use your website?
- Will they find it difficult to click on menu items?
- Can they read the content quickly and view the images on a mobile screen?
User experience and ease of navigation will also become more important for mobile-first indexing.
Website Security
Although this is not a mobile-first indexing factor per se, it is an overarching factor that Google does take into account. Google is prompting all websites to move from a non-secure to a secure website (from HTTP to HTTPS).
If you need more digital marketing advice and want to implement any of these services, speak to our marketing professionals.