If your website isn’t mobile compliant by March 2021 you’ll be dropped from rankings.
This fall, Google hosted its first every (virtual) Public Convention. They discussed big topics like their mobile-first initiative, SEO, and more. SearchEngineJournal shared big news from the convention.
Read our post about how to prepare your site for Mobile-First Indexing.
Here are the two key takeaways about Mobile-First Indexing:
- John Mueller, Google’s Senior Webmaster Trends Analyst, confirmed that desktop-only websites will no longer be indexed to Google starting March of 2021. This includes images or other files on the website. Check if your website is mobile-friendly here.
- There may be bugs! Mueller also confirmed that we should be prepared to see some indexing glitches as they make this massive switch. This will particularly be true for sites that have an “m-dot” version (ex: m.domain.com).
What is Mobile-First Indexing?
Mobile-First Indexing is where Google uses the mobile version of your website as the primary website to list in search rankings. Having a well built mobile-friendly website will help ensure that your website’s rankings will survive the shift.
Does mobile-friendliness impact SEO?
Yes and no. Currently, not having a mobile-friendly website won’t impact your website too much. However, as more and more search is conducted on mobile platforms, having a website that loads and performs badly will impact your rankings. Why? Because of user experience.
If your website takes a long time to load, is glitchy, or is low in content people won’t visit it or come back. Having a website that caters to a smooth user experience and has high-quality content will help your brand build authority – in Google’s eyes.
Clicks, and links, are like votes. The more time users spend on your website, the more pages they travel to, and the more backlinks you receive the better you’ll rank.
Keep reading: How does Social Media impact your SEO?
