Blog
Google to Halt Indexing Non-Mobile-Friendly Sites After July 5
Meta Description: Google will stop indexing sites not accessible on mobile devices starting July 5, 2024. Ensure your website is mobile-friendly to maintain your search rankings.
Google’s Mobile-First Indexing Update: What You Need to Know
Google’s initiative for mobile-first indexing, which began in 2016, was expected to be complete by October last year. However, the transition will officially finalize after July 5, 2024.
John Mueller from Google announced on the Google blog, “The small set of sites still being crawled with desktop Googlebot will switch to mobile Googlebot after July 5, 2024.” He added that the majority of the web is already being crawled in this manner, and only the remaining few will see changes.
Importance of Mobile Accessibility
Google has made it clear: if your site isn’t accessible via mobile devices, it will not be indexed or ranked. Mueller emphasized, “If your site’s content is not accessible at all with a mobile device, it will no longer be indexable.” This shift has been long anticipated as Google solidifies its stance on mobile accessibility.
Desktop Templates and Mobile Rendering
It’s important to note that Google will still index desktop templates, provided they load properly on mobile devices. The distinction here is between mobile-friendliness and mobile accessibility. Your site doesn’t need to be optimized for mobile use, but it must be capable of rendering on a mobile device.
Limited Desktop Crawling to Persist
Googlebot Desktop will continue to be used in specific scenarios, such as product listings and Google for Jobs. This means you might still notice Googlebot Desktop activity in your server logs.
Action Steps for Website Owners
For most website owners, this change might not pose a significant problem. However, if you manage SEO for a site that doesn’t load on mobile devices, it’s crucial to address this issue. Use the Google Search Console URL Inspection tool to verify your site’s mobile accessibility and ensure it can be indexed post-July 5.
FAQs
1. What is mobile-first indexing?
Mobile-first indexing means that Google predominantly uses the mobile version of the content for indexing and ranking. Historically, the index primarily used the desktop version of a page’s content when evaluating the relevance of a page to a user’s query.
2. Will my site be affected if it's not mobile-friendly but accessible on mobile devices?
If your site is accessible on mobile devices, it will still be indexed. Mobile-friendly refers to the user experience, whereas accessibility means that the site can be loaded and viewed on a mobile device.
3. How can I check if my site is mobile-friendly?
You can use the Google Mobile-Friendly Test tool or the Google Search Console URL Inspection tool to check if your site is mobile-friendly.
4. What should I do if my site isn’t accessible on mobile devices?
If your site isn’t accessible on mobile devices, you should consider redesigning it to ensure it can load and be navigated on mobile platforms. This may involve responsive design techniques or a separate mobile site.
5. Will Googlebot Desktop still be used after July 5, 2024?
Yes, Googlebot Desktop will still be used in specific scenarios, such as for product listings and Google for Jobs. However, the primary indexing will be done using Googlebot Smartphone.
