How to prepare your site for Mobile-first
Google's new “Mobile-first” index could be effective in the coming months. Consequence: Incompatible or poorly mobile sites may no longer appear in search results, on mobile and on desktop. In 2017, intelligently optimize your content for mobile!
In recent years, Google has continued to highlight content suitable for mobile devices: mobile compatible sites with priority in search results on mobiles, arrival of the AMP page format on mobiles… The Mountain View firm is adapting thus to the new uses of Internet users, now more focused on their smartphones or tablets than on their computer (desktop).
Latest twist: the announcement last month of the imminent arrival of a new index mobile-first (currently in testing). Sites that do not anticipate this upheaval risk losing their positions in search results, including on computers. If you haven't already, there is still time to make your site mobile-friendly. Different options exist:
- site in dynamic serving (different content for mobiles but with the same URL)
- website adaptive ou responsive (identical for fixed supports and mobiles)
- mobile site offered in a subdomain (of type m.site.com).
Whatever option you choose, here are the points to watch out for in order to anticipate the arrival of Mobile-first:
In this section:
Check the compatibility of your site in mobile version
Responsive or dynamic serving sites should not be too affected by the new index. Indeed, the content is then the same in desktop and mobile version. It is nevertheless important to check that there are no technical obstacles, with Google's Test My Site tool, for example.
You can also use the Explore like Google function of Google Search Console, by selecting the smartphone version. Finally, do not neglect the loading time of the site on mobiles (given by Test My Site).
Do not reduce your site too much in mobile version
With theMobile-first index, the situation will change. It is the content of the mobile version that will be used in priority for the ranking of the sites, in the search results on mobile and on computer.
Consequence: a mobile site that is too stripped down will quickly be downgraded in search results. And this, regardless of the mobile version of the site chosen (with the same URL or not). It therefore becomes essential to put as much content as possible online on the mobile version. Target the specific needs of mobile Internet users and prioritize essential strategic content (text + images).
Check your structured data on the mobile version
Check both versions of the site with Google's Structured Data Testing Tool.
Specific case of mobile sites with a different URL (type m.site.com)
This is the case when two different sites are created, with different URLs: one for mobile (m.mysite.com), the other for desktop (www.monsite.fr).
For m.site.com type sites: do not neglect them backlinks that point to the mobile version. Remember to validate the mobile site on Search Console (if the URL is different) and check the accessibility of your site in mobile version.
Canonical tags: no change
Continue to use the canonical tags (canonical). The new Mobile-first index should not affect canonical tags. This is what Gary Illyes (Standup Trends Analyst at Google) said in a tweet on November 5:
As we can see, it is now essential to have an optimized mobile site that is sufficiently rich in content, whatever the medium used by the Internet user. This is an essential point, both to guarantee a satisfactory user experience, and to ensure a good SEO for your site.
John Mueller, SEO spokesperson at Google, announced on January 13 in hangout that the search engine will warn webmasters whose non-mobile-compatible sites are at risk of being affected by the new Mobile-first index, with a message sent via Google Search Console.
