Google has announced that it will soon be splitting its index between mobile and desktop, but the exact date is still likely months away.
According to Search Engine Land:
“Google will create a separate mobile index within the next few months. Furthermore, this mobile index will become the primary Google index. The newly separated desktop index will not be kept as up-to-date as the mobile one.” Google’s Gary Illyes announced at SMX, while the team wants it to launch in 2017, they aren’t sure of the exact time.
There are different things SEO Consultants are concerned about:
- Will the mobile-index only contain mobile-friendly content?
- Will the desktop user not get the latest information?
- Having a mobile-only index mean certain websites are not included from mobile SERPs all together?
SEO are still waiting for answers and more info from Google.
What does this mean for your site search engine optimization strategy?
- Make sure your mobile website is responsive
- Make sure your mobile site contains the information you want to rank for
- Start implementing Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) markup on your site if it makes sense
- Make sure your pages load quickly and test often
Use Google’s Page Speed Insights to determine how your site loads on both desktop and mobile devices.
https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/
Have questions about your site SEO and online marketing strategy? Contact our team at White Hat Ops for questions.