The impact of mobile-first indexing on SEO strategy
If you didn’t know, Google prioritises mobile sites for ranking, as most users are now on mobile. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, then this can negatively affect SEO. Therefore, you might want to use methods such as mobile-first indexing.
Here at Embryo, our team has extensive experience in creating and building mobile SEO strategies that work from the ground up. The world is becoming increasingly mobile, and we believe that businesses must keep up.
In this blog we will be taking you through mobile-first indexing, telling you what it is and how it benefits SEO strategy.
If this interests you, then keep reading to find out more!
What is mobile-first indexing, its benefits, and its impact on SEO?
Firstly, mobile-first indexing is a method used by search engines to determine the ranking of websites in search engine results pages (otherwise known as SERPs).
With so many people using smartphones, search engines such as Google pay more attention to how websites look on phones. This means that they prioritise the mobile version of your site when deciding how to rank it.
Traditionally, search engines would consider a desktop version of a website when indexing and ranking it. However, with the rise of mobile usage, search engines have shifted this focus to the mobile version of a site.
It is important for businesses to incorporate mobile-first indexing strategies as they directly impact a website’s visibility and ranking. Paying attention to mobile optimisation can significantly drop organic traffic and potential customers.
There are many benefits of mobile-first indexing, not only from an SEO perspective but also in terms of the design process and ultimate performance. These include:
- Performance – due to fewer elements and optimised content, pages will load faster which is essential for usability and maintaining SEO.
- Google search results pages – with the increase in Google searches occurring on mobile devices, Google indexes pages using a mobile-first approach.
- Scalability – when designing websites for mobile-first, it is easier to scale up to desktop, making it possible to add features if required.
- Decreased bounce rate – while bounce rates for mobile users are usually higher than desktop rates, this can be improved with a mobile-first design. As we know, users are more likely to engage with a mobile-friendly website.
Mobile-first indexing has a significant impact on SEO, especially because it prioritises the mobile version of a website over its desktop version.
This means that if a website doesn’t have a mobile version, or has a poorly optimised mobile version, its rankings in search engine results will be negatively affected.
To ensure of a higher ranking in SERPs, website owners should focus on creating a mobile-friendly user experience, especially because mobile-first design entails creating web experiences with users in mind.
Starting the design process with mobile devices as the primary focus ensures that the website is optimised for smaller screens, touch interactions, and slower network speeds.
How can I create a mobile-friendly user experience?
Creating a mobile-friendly user experience is crucial in keeping consumers on your website and purchasing products.
Here are a handful of practices to follow to ensure you are creating a mobile-friendly website:
Develop a responsive layout
A responsive website design means that the layout of your site will adapt and respond automatically to different screen sizes. Users can then interact from any device with any sized screen, so you expand a positive user experience to anyone who engages with your site. Navigation features become easier to click, and the text on the screen becomes readable from any screen.
Optimise web speed
As we know, web speed is crucial to keeping a potential customer on your site. If what they want to see doesn’t load (according to Google, in more than 3 seconds!), then they’ll simply abandon ship and scour the SERP for a different source. This in turn hurts your rankings. You want your site to be the ‘go-to’ for potential customers, but with a slow loading site, this isn’t possible.
Compress images
Linking back to site speed, compressing your image file size can help speed up your page loading time as the amount of data that needs to be loaded is reduced while still maintaining the quality of the image.
Avoid pop-ups
Pop-ups on mobile can obscure important information and only cause frustration for the user, causing them to leave your site. The pop-up sometimes has the opposite effect if it’s too intrusive- it only annoys the user, pushing them away instead of enticing them to convert.
Change button size and placement
Similar to responsive design, navigation features on mobile may need to be changed. The button size should be smaller so it’s clickable for the user, and it shouldn’t cover any crucial information. Place all navigational features in easily accessible positions without being too small to click or too big to cover the page.
Use a large and readable font
Now, it’s obvious that a mobile screen is smaller, so the text will be too. So, you’ll need to make the font large enough to be read on a mobile phone. Otherwise, the user can’t properly engage with the content on the site or read the valuable information they want to access.
Space out links
If links are too close together, it’s likely the user will misclick on the one they don’t want to look at. Links should be spaced out so it’s easy for the user to hit the anchor text that they intended to.
Declutter web design
Decluttering a web design is like a balancing act. While you want a visually engaging site, you can’t have the user’s attention fleeting between overwhelming colours and complex designs that don’t do anything but impress. The design should be purposeful, functional yet still interesting.
Test the website on mobile devices regularly
Testing, testing! The key to success for any SEO site. How else can you know if the changes you made have created positive change? You won’t unless you test.
Looking to Prioritise Mobile Optimisation? Get in Touch with the Experts!
Putting these things into practice will enhance user experience, keeping customers happy and unlikely to click off your page.
If your website is not optimised for mobile devices or lacks a mobile version altogether, then it may experience a drop in rankings.
As mentioned, search engines prioritise mobile-friendly websites because they provide a better user experience for mobile users. By adopting mobile-first indexing techniques, you can ensure that your website remains competitive in search engine rankings.
By prioritising mobile optimisation, you can enhance user experience, boost visibility, and drive organic traffic to your site.
As search engines continue to prioritise mobile-friendly websites, it is crucial to adapt and optimise your website for mobile devices. By following some of the practises mentioned in this blog, you can ensure that your website ranks well in mobile search results and provides an optimal user experience for mobile users.
If you need some expert advice or want to send us an enquiry, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.
