With mobile-first indexing, a mobile-optimized website becomes a must-have
Mobile SEO versus Desktop SEO. There’s a significant contrast between desktop SEO and mobile SEO, however, the objectives are frequently identical. You need to convert your audience into paying clients. Somehow or another, desktop SEO strategies additionally work for mobile SEO, however in a somewhat extraordinary structure. Mobile SEO is all about user experience. Optimizing content for mobile devices, taking care of technical mobile SEO (site speed, flash, AMP, technical errors), and optimizing a mobile site for awesome user experience are surefire ways to optimize a site for mobile devices and boost conversions.
With the development and recent improvements of smart phones, mobile search engine usage is increasing in popularity. Optimizing for mobile SEO solicits a unique strategy that facilitates quick and easy viewing of the most important information about your business. Today, quality SEO is no longer limited to the desktop. As global smartphone use increases, so do the number of people searching on their mobile devices. Which is why mobile SEO is a topic that no serious online marketer or business can afford to ignore. Here’s a look at the current mobile statistics. With mobile-first indexing, a mobile-optimized website becomes a must-have. A new era is entering – in search engine optimization. The name for this change is mobile-first indexing. And what does this stand for? OneLine clarifies and makes clear what the special features of mobile SEO are. After all, this type of search engine optimization is.
A new era is entering – in search engine optimization. The name for this change is mobile-first indexing. And what does this stand for? OneLine clarifies and makes clear what the special features of mobile SEO are. After all, this type of search engine optimization is enjoying increasing popularity – for one simple reason: the number of search queries that users make via their cell phones is rising continuously and globally. Figures provide impressive facts that prove the end of the desktop era. This fact can be compared to the demise of the digital camera. High-quality smartphones have replaced them in many private households. In terms of search engine optimization, Google has reacted in time. The company is adapting the technology to this change. It is putting mobile-first indexing in the spotlight.
What does mobile-first indexing stand for?
Google acts almost as a synonym for the term “search engine”. Competitors fail to knock Google off its monopoly throne. That’s why OneLine focuses on Google in this article. Already after the first click on the selected hit of a search, users see the content that the search results show them. However, this is only possible if the crawlers of the search engine have the same view as the users. Googlebot acts as a different name for the search engine crawlers. Because the majority of Internet users now use their cell phones to make search queries, a changeover is taking place. Google made a mobile index turnaround in September 2020. Finally, it plays a decisive role whether the user’s screen is the size of a desktop or a smartphone.
What results from mobile-first indexing?
Google has been looking at websites analogously to a smartphone user since September 2020. The service company says it has converted about 70 percent of all web sites to mobile SEO by machine. The search engine owes this task to the clever Googlebot. After an automated check, this has determined that the majority of web presences meet the necessary conditions for mobile-first indexing. On the other hand, one-third of current websites are not yet ready for SEO mobile. OneLine explains how website operators should proceed in this case.
The Google Search Console serves as the first, indispensable point of contact. It provides reliable information about whether a website uses mobile-first indexing. In addition, Google supports website owners. It provides them with a useful document. It is called “Best Practice”. The following aspects play the main role:
- In terms of crawlability, the Googlebot is by no means required to fully crawl a mobile website version. Website owners control their Robots.txt as well as Robots meta tags for this purpose. They also enable the search engine to load all web page content effortlessly. These include images, JavaScript files as well as CSS.
- Another important message neglect responsible web designers in any case. This one indicates why the website content of a conventional representation should coincide with a mobile version. Different page representations cause confusion for website visitors.
Why Responsive Design acts as an ideal solution for mobile SEO
Some website owners still make a crucial mistake: they use different URLs for their mobile and desktop versions. However, experts advise against this method because it causes inconsistencies. Not even Google is able to balance such website configurations. That is why informed web designers switch to Responsive Design. This method is an excellent technique. It ensures the congruent presentation of web page content with the help of CSS3 media queries and HTML5. Responsive Design is characterized by a decisive advantage: The website design scores with its flexibility and adaptability. In addition, the layout impresses with its universal usability – regardless of whether it is displayed on a computer desktop, smartphone or tablet. Website visitors benefit from short loading times. In addition, readers process the content faster and better. Both aspects act as important ranking factors.
The three Fs also serve as the best possible explanation for Responsive Design, because it stands for “form follows function.” In other words, design, function and content adapt to the screen resolution of the end device. The literal translation for Responsive Design is responsive web design. This design adapts to the circumstances of the website visitor – and not the other way around.
Advantages of Mobile SEO
Mobile SEO impresses with an underestimated feature: the maintenance effort of the editorial website content is lower. Whereas a strict separation of the desktop and mobile website version is associated with a high maintenance effort. However, another reason exists why mobile-first indexing is gaining acceptance in practice: Because 100 percent mobile-first indexing is due in March 2021. Hence the question of how website designers should proceed to keep up with the demands of SEO Mobile.
Helpful tips for a successful transition to Mobile SEO
The agency OneLine recommends completing the following steps to achieve successful mobile-first indexing. First and foremost, the mobile site version should have numerous technical elements. The intriguing question is, “How can webmasters check this aspect?” – Simple. They set up a free Ahrefs Tools account for this purpose. Then, they first crawl their website using the “Site Audit” option. The default setting crawls the site with the help of a desktop user agent. This allows webmasters to see the website exactly as it appears on a desktop. However, all it takes is a click on the tab called “Crawl Settings.” There, website designers make a simple change by switching to the “Mobile” option. OneLine recommends crawling the desktop variant first before making the change. Thanks to this procedure, the integrated comparison function clarifies whether problems still exist. These can occur on a mobile device. JavaScript, CSS as well as image files should be crawlable on all pages.
What detail determines whether a mobile-first indexing is crowned with success? – Load time. Long load times are devastating: for the website visitor and the website owner alike. That’s why Google measures load time. The mobile page version serves as the basis. For successful mobile SEO, webmasters check this indispensable detail in their Google Search Console under the category: Extension – Core Web Vitals – Mobile. In addition, a visual inspection is required. This includes checking the existing interstitials. These are pages that require website visitors to confirm their age or allow advertisements. These should take up little space for successful mobile-first indexing.
What is the difference between a mobile and a desktop website?
The differences lie in the display capabilities. Finally, the screens on mobile devices are much smaller than desktop screens. Sidebars as well as extensive menus do not exist on mobile websites. Therefore, there is no obligation for an identical display of a mobile and a desktop version. But the most important content of the website must not be missing on the mobile version in any case. Once there existed significant differences in the display between the two versions. The mobile website did not display all the content. Thanks to mobile-first indexing, this has changed in favor of users. The search engine presents all content. In comparison: Google withheld hidden content from website visitors to optimize their user experience.
Mobile Seo Meaning
Mobile SEO has successfully displaced “normal” SEO
Corrected to read: thanks to their website usage, users have replaced traditional search engine optimization with mobile-first indexing. Once upon a time, in order to stay in the market, businesses and nonprofits had to perform successful SEO. An undetectable website was comparable to a non-existent business. Now, in the mobile era, Mobile SEO dominates. Those who deliberately ignore or unintentionally sleep through this change are losing the battle against the competition. Even more: they lose customers. Regular customers and new customers. That’s why mobile-first indexing should be a top priority for all website operators. Because a flawless online presence is now as important to entrepreneurs as the air they breathe.
Google does not make such changes to annoy website designers. Instead, the company’s goal is to improve everyone’s use of the Internet. The push for SSL encryption provides proof of this fact. Everyone benefits equally from innovations. Thus, the switch to mobile SEO is inevitable and acts as a boon for everyone.
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