Google’s Mobile-First Index Explained

It won’t come as a surprise to anyone to learn that the vast majority of people searching on Google, do so on their mobile phones. However, this wasn’t always the case. 

Flashback to November 9, 2016, and Google announced that it was going to be prioritising a mobile-first search index over the traditional desktop-first search index. Fast forward to 2024 and we look at what impact this change is having on small businesses website results and explain why your business website may be bucking the trend that has forced Google’s hand.

Rolling out Google’s Mobile-First Index

Moving to a ‘mobile first’ index was a gamechanger for Google, and initially this caused small business owners around Australia no end of sleepless nights at the thought of their Google rankings plummeting because the mobile version of their website isn’t up to snuff. 

Did the Mobile First Index Kill Desktop Search?

The short answer is: ‘No.’ Because while most people, statistically, will view sites on their mobile phone rather than at a desktop, the gap isn’t what many people predicted. And desktop search is most certainly alive and kicking, with 40% of all search worldwide being performed on a desktop computer.

Google has long been known for making drastic changes to how they index the web. From the Caffeine update on through to the mobile-first update and beyond, Google indexing is all about delivering better, more relevant results, faster. So, Google tweaking the engine to make the car go faster and corner better shouldn’t surprise anyone. And the move to a mobile-first index made sense.

What is a ‘Mobile-First Index?’

Okay, you say. You get that more people search on their phones than on a desktop. But what the heck does ‘mobile first indexing’ actually mean?

Well, I’m glad you asked!

Up to 2016, Google indexed websites based on what content there was on the desktop version of the website. So, designing and SEOing the desktop version of your website was always a small business owner’s number one priority. But in 2024, that is no longer the case.

When Google released mobile-first indexing on November 9, 2016 Google revealed that moving forward, indexing would be split into two: the mobile-first index (which will be updated rapidly and readily) and then the desktop version (which will not be updated as frequently).

So the question you, as a small business owner need to ask yourself is: ‘When Google looks at the mobile version my small business website, will they react positively or negatively to my website?’. Because if the answer is in the negative, then be prepared to say goodbye to your rankings and your profits.

Why Did Google Make This Change to a Mobile-First Index?

A Hitwise report showed us that almost 60% of online searches are now made from a mobile device. This means more people are accessing websites from mobile devices than from their desktop. A trend that is almost certainly set to continue. Google, logically enough, had terabytes of data on this, and so moved to a mobile first index. 

With this ongoing emphasis on mobile devices, Google hopes to provide a more user-friendly experience and present appropriate content for users who surf on mobile devices rather than on their desktop.

Should You Re-design the Mobile Version of Your Website?

Hell YES – and the cost of doing this be damned!

In 2024, if you don’t (at the bare minimum) have a mobile optimised website, then you’re effectively committing the business equivalent of Seppuku. But with the Mobile-First Index, having a mobile optimised website isn’t enough. If you really want to rule the roost, you need a mobile site that is SPECIFICALLY tailored and designed for the mobile UX (User eXperience). In other words, just having a ‘Mobile Responsive Website’ isn’t going to cut it any more. Sure, it’s better than the businesses that don’t even have that, (there are still some out there, believe me!). But now, more than ever before, it’s essential that you put the mobile version of your new website at the forefront of you mind when getting it built.

Needless to say you’re going to need an expert Sydney Web Design Company to get this done right. Because if you cut corners, and screw your web design company down on price, you can rest assured that the mobile version of your new website will continue to be the poor cousin of the desktop version of your website. When in reality it should be the rich uncle.

Lucky for you, SEO North Sydney specialise in designing websites that human beings AND Google love. Because having one without the other will severely hamstrung your company’s ability to run a successful small business website.

What to Focus to Get Your Website to Thrive in a Mobile-First Index

Here are some of the key factors you need to focus on in order for your website to thrive in a the mobile-first world of Google. 

Have a ‘Responsive’ (Mobile) Version of Your Website. (Like, Duh!)

We’ve all been there. We’ve Googled something on our smart phone and landed on a website, only to realise that it’s a tiny version of the desktop site, and nigh-on impossible to read without zooming in, etc. It’s frustrating for us. It’s embarrassing for them. And it causes us, as users, to click away.

So if you do not have a responsive design for your website, now is the time to bite the bullet and make the switch. You’ll provide a better experience for your users. You’ll improve conversions. And yes – you’ll improve your search rankings in Google; which will earn you more customers.

Mobile Website Sculpting

But as I’ve said, just having a mobile optimised site is no long enough. So, if you’re having a website built in WordPress (and you should), then your web designers should be sculpting your mobile site. Not just utilising website automation to give you a ‘mobile friendly’ version of the site. Because all this does is display ALL the content from your desktop in a way that can be read on mobile devices. But – here’s the thing – you don’t want to display ALL your website on the mobile version. That’s not the best experience for a mobile user. Rather, you want to show the content that is needed to get the user to pick up the phone, click buy or whatever you’d like them to do. The rest you minimise or don’t show.

Take Hoyts for example. Their desktop site has lots of bells and whistles, because the desktop version of a website is the place to really pimp your ride. But do Hoyts show all the bells and whistles on their mobile version? Of course not. They’ve had their Mobile Website Sculpted so all the user gets is WHAT THEY NEED. Which in this case is: 

• what movies are showing?
• what times are they showing?
• where are the nearest cinemas to where I currently am?

The user who visits the Hoyts website on their mobile has the option to ‘View Full Site’ if they wish. But the vast majority of people (I’d say upwards of 97%, best guess) get all the information they need from the stripped back , ‘sculpted’ version of the site available to them on their mobile device.

Now imagine what the Hoyts mobile website would look like if their mobile website showed EVERYTHING from their desktop version. Conversions would plummet!

Create Mobile-Friendly Content.

The way users interact with content on their mobile devices is different to how they do so on a desktop. Generally speaking, desktops are becoming more and more associated with work. Mobile devices are more linked to leisure and fun. Maybe this is one of the reason that users are also more likely to share content on mobile devices than on desktops? Because the experience seems somehow more ‘personal.’

Consequently, it’s crucial that your website is producing content that mobile users like to consume. This means better written articles, a greater emphasis on video, photographs and other visual elements etc. All of which will lead to an increase in mobile users engagement and organic traffic from users sharing your content.

I Feel the Need. The Need for Speed!

Just a one-second delay in your websites loading time can result in 7% decrease in conversions!

Ensuring your website is up to speed by optimizing images, reducing unnecessary animations and lowering the number of active plugins are some quick and easy ways you can bring your website up to speed. 

Change Your Keyword Strategy.

Google announced that 20% of mobile searches are made by using voice queries. Welcome to the future, huh!

The way users vocally ask a search question in 2024 is different than how they would type out a search query back in the day.

By focusing more on the types of queries mobile users will be making you can tap into the powerful potential of climbing the search engine results. 

Google has provided a keyword planner tool under your AdWords account to research which keywords you should be using. 

We recommend building your keyword strategy around mobile users. This will be a more suitable long-term goal based on the direction online searching is going. 

What’s Next?

Once you start nailing these key points you will be one step ahead of Google’s mobile-first index. 

We at SEO North Sydney understand how difficult it can be for small-medium businesses to dedicate the time, money and effort into their SEO strategy.

Thankfully we are here to help. With a wide range of SEO packages available for all business types and needs, we can help unlock your businesses true SEO potential.

Contact us today and make the first step towards search engine success today.