Google: as of July 5th, no more indexing for non-mobile sites
The news has perhaps gone somewhat under the radar, partly because we are still overwhelmed by the echo of the Google leak that swept over us in recent days, shaking the SEO community even from an “emotional” point of view. Yet, its magnitude is by no means to be underestimated. Starting July 5, 2024, Google will no longer index sites that are not accessible from mobile devices. This is the latest step in a journey that began in 2016 with the introduction of mobile-first indexing, the definitive sign of the transition to prioritized (if not completely) mobile device-oriented browsing. But let’s try to understand what this news entails by analyzing Google’s official statement and providing practical guidance on how website owners can prepare for this revolution.
Google announces final shift to mobile indexing
“We are undertaking the final step in our migration to a mobile-first index for Google Search.” So opens the official blog post with which John Mueller, Google’s Search Advocate, gave news and timing about the completion of the migration to the mobile-first index, a process that began eight years ago.
This means that the low number of sites that are currently still indexed with Googlebot Desktop will be indexed with Googlebot Smartphone after July 5, 2024.
Mueller reassured website owners, saying that most sites will not have to do anything since they are already indexed with the mobile crawler.
In reality, however, there is an (albeit limited) share of sites for which the second part of the announcement will have a noticeable effect: after July 5, 2024, Google will crawl and index all sites only with Googlebot Smartphone.
Therefore, if a site’s content is not fully accessible with a mobile device, it will no longer be indexable!
The technical details of Google’s intervention
Mueller provided additional technical details to clarify the scope of this transition, which Google decided on to simplify its systems and allow sites to more easily debug issues related to device types.
Currently, Google uses a smartphone crawler to index almost all websites. The decision to switch completely to Googlebot Smartphone was made back in 2016 to simplify Google’s systems and make it easier to debug problems related to different device types, as well as to pander to the ever-growing attitude of the public.
While even then, in fact, more people were using smartphones to connect to the Web (and to use Google), today mobile browsing firmly outnumbers desktop browsing – precisely, statcounter reveals that globally web accesses from smartphones are 60 percent, those from tablets about 3 percent, and those from desktop computers 37 percent.
From a practical standpoint, as mentioned, this change will not affect most sites, since the vast majority are already indexed with the mobile crawler and over the years the number of sites that are not accessible from mobile devices has continued to decrease.
However, for those few sites that are not accessible from mobile devices, this represents a wake-up call: if in less than a month the site’s content remains inaccessible from a smartphone, the site will no longer be indexable by Google and, therefore, will not appear in search results.
Mueller also clarified that Google will continue to use Googlebot Desktop for some specific search features, such as product listings and Google for Jobs. Therefore, website owners may still see Googlebot Desktop in server logs and reporting tools. This detail is important to avoid confusion and to ensure that website owners understand exactly how Googlebot will interact with their sites after the transition.
The consequences for websites: excluded from Google sites not accessible from mobile
Google’s announcement caught the attention of discerning observers primarily because of the possible negative consequences for websites.
Mobile accessibility is no longer an option, but a necessity: soon, if a site’s content is not accessible from a smartphone, Google will no longer index it, which means it will not appear in search results.
This can have devastating consequences for site traffic and, consequently, for business.
Google’s goal is clear: to ensure that the browsing experience is optimal on all devices, with a focus on smartphones, which now account for the majority of web traffic.
The flip side of the coin is represented by sites that (however minority) have never implemented a mobile version because they operate exclusively or predominantly from desktops, visited practically only by users using large screens and stable network connections: if, as of July 5, the site is not accessible from mobile devices, Google will no longer index it and therefore it will not appear in search results, regardless of the quality of the content or relevance to users’ queries. A rather paradoxical situation.
How to avoid disappearing from search results
In short, it’s time to speed up for all website owners who have so far neglected mobile versions or have not even developed a mobile-accessible site.
The first step, of course, is to verify that the site is fully accessible from mobile devices. This not only means that the site must be visible on a smartphone, but that it must be easily navigable and usable. Elements such as responsive design, loading speed, and ease of navigation are crucial to ensure a good user experience on mobile. In short, we need to make the site mobile friendly, and do it now!
As we know, mobile accessibility goes beyond simply adapting the layout of the site: aspects related to mobile optimization of content, such as readability of text, size of buttons, and ease of interaction with interactive elements, must also be considered.
Until now, a site that offered a bad user experience from mobile was “only” likely to drive visitors away, reducing conversion rates and damaging the brand’s reputation, but in a few days it might even be totally excluded by Google! Using tools like Google Search Console or Google Lighthouse can help identify and resolve any mobile accessibility issues, ensuring that your site is ready to transition to the index completely and permanently mobile-first, indeed mobile-only!
How to make your site accessible to mobile devices
Barring the minimal exceptions communicated that will keep Googlebot Smartphone alive a little longer-which do not represent nor should be seen as a chance to ignore mobile accessibility-the vast majority of search, crawling, and indexing will then be handled by Googlebot Smartphone.
And so, the implications of Google’s decision are clear: mobile accessibility is critical to maintaining and improving visibility in search results. Ignoring this reality can result in a significant loss of traffic and business opportunities.
What we can do now is prepare and ensure that the site is indeed optimized for mobile devices, which remains the key to successfully navigating not only this transition, but to maintaining a strong global presence on Google.
That is, we need a site that is accessible, fast, and easy to navigate on mobile devices-that way we can not only meet Google’s criteria, but also deliver a superior user experience and increase our chances of success in the competitive world of the web.
Specifically, we can follow these 5 principles of mobile optimization:
- Adopt a responsive design
To address the transition to a fully mobile-first index, the first key step is to ensure that the website uses a responsive design. This essentially means that the design is designed to automatically adapt to the size of the screen on which it is displayed, ensuring that the site is functional and visually appealing on any device, from a small smartphone screen to a large desktop monitor. This approach not only enhances the user experience, but is also essential for meeting Google’s indexing criteria. A site with a responsive design minimizes usability issues and ensures that all content is accessible and easy to navigate, regardless of the device being used.
- Eliminate pop-ups and interstitials
Pop-ups and interstitials can be particularly annoying on mobile devices, where screen space is limited. These design elements, which while posspno seem useful for capturing users’ attention or gathering information, often end up compromising the user experience. On a smartphone, a pop-up can take up the entire screen, making it difficult to navigate and increasing the rate of site abandonment. Google has made it clear that mobile accessibility is a priority, so it is advisable to eliminate pop-ups or, at least, reduce them to the bare minimum, preferring less intrusive alternatives, such as banners or less intrusive notifications, so as to significantly improve site usability on mobile devices.
- Optimize speed
Site loading speed is a crucial factor for user experience and indexing on Google. Smartphone users, in particular, have little patience for sites that take too long to load. A slow site not only risks losing visitors, but can also be penalized in search results. To optimize site speed, it is important to minimize the weight of images, use caching techniques and minimize HTML, CSS and JavaScript code. Tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights can provide valuable insights into how to improve site performance, ensuring that it is fast and responsive on all devices.
- Implement finger navigation
Navigation on mobile devices is often done one-handed, which requires an intuitive design that is easy to navigate with fingers. Elements such as menus, buttons, and links should be large enough and well spaced to avoid accidental clicks. In addition, it is important to place navigation elements strategically, taking into account the way users hold and use their devices. For example, the main navigation buttons should be easy to reach with the thumb. A design that facilitates finger navigation not only enhances the user experience, but is also essential to meet Google’s mobile accessibility criteria.
- Test in advance
Google Lighthouse is a powerful tool that can help website owners identify and address accessibility, performance, and SEO issues. Using Lighthouse you can get a detailed analysis of your site and receive practical suggestions on how to improve it. This tool evaluates various aspects of the site, including loading speed, usability on mobile devices, and search engine optimization. Implementing Lighthouse’s recommendations can help ensure that the site is ready to transition to a fully mobile-first index while improving user experience and visibility in search results.
