After years of build-up, Google finally announced that mobile-first indexing will be the default for all new sites launched after July 1st, 2019. We had lots of warning, but a lot of us still aren’t ready.
Mobile-first indexing will require mobile-first thinking. If you’re publishing a new site in the near future, you’re probably going to be OK. However, if your site is a few years old, you may need to make some slight changes.
Here are 3 things you’re going to need to make sure you have.
1. Strong Speeds
You need to make sure your mobile site is loading as quickly as possible, because about half of your users will leave if you take longer than 3 seconds.
The first stepin getting optimal speeds isworking with a good website hosting company. If you’re currently shopping around for your next host, click the following link to see specialized WordPress hosting packages for people like you.
Elsewhere, you should also make sure that:
- Your images are compressed
- You don’t have unnecessary coding
- You don’t have too many redirects
Also, don’t just test/ optimize your home page. Make sure all of your blog and product pages are loading as quickly as possible.
2. A frictionless User Experience
The user experience (UX) is even more important on a mobile, because there is far less real estate to work with. Things can get bungled up in a hurry.
You need to make sure your mobile experience isn’t completely ruined by something like a large overlay, pop-up, interstitial or nag screen.
You also need to ensure that people can read and interact with your content without having to pinch or zoom to get what they want.
If your mobile experience isn’t great, you should read Google’s guidelines on text and button sizing as soon as possible.
3. SEO Content
Less space doesn’t necessarily mean less SEO content or copy. You still need a suitable amount of written copy on your product and service pages for Google to know who you are and what you’re about.
You have to structure your information in a logical way on a mobile page. Use the top third of your page for your call-to-action (CTA); “Contact us” or “Get a Quote” or whatever it may be.
The middle third is where you summarize your offering and put your social proof, such as badges, awards, client logos or brief testimonials. And finally, the bottom third of your page is where you will want to put your more meaty and descriptive SEO copy.
Google warned us that this would happen, but, a lot of business owners don’t have time to worry about their website. They’re too busy doing everything else that generates money for their business.
However, you need to make sure that your site’s speeds, UX and content are ready for the mobile-first world. Failing to do so is almost daring customers to leave your mobile site, whilesending themto your competition.
Find the time to make sure everything is optimized, or find a professional who can do it for you.
