TECHNICAL SEO

Mobile-First Indexing

Google's practice of using the mobile version of your website as the primary version for ranking and indexing, rather than the desktop version.

Why It Matters for Your Business

Google switched to mobile-first indexing for all websites because over 60% of Google searches happen on mobile devices. For local searches, the kind that drive customers to Space Coast businesses, that number is even higher.

If a Cocoa Beach restaurant's mobile site hides their menu, has tiny text, and takes 8 seconds to load, Google sees that as the real experience and ranks accordingly. It doesn't matter if their desktop site looks beautiful. The mobile version is what counts.

How It Works

Mobile-first indexing changes which version of your site Google evaluates:

How Does It Work?

Let's Breakdown The Process:

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1.Google Crawls Your Mobile Site
Googlebot uses a mobile user agent to crawl your website. The content, structure, and performance it sees on mobile is what gets evaluated for rankings.
2.Content Parity Check
Google compares what's visible on mobile vs desktop. Any content hidden on mobile (collapsed tabs, removed sections, or desktop-only elements) may not count toward your rankings.
3.Mobile Performance Matters
Core Web Vitals and page speed are measured on the mobile version. A site that scores 95 on desktop but 40 on mobile will be ranked based on that 40.
4.Structured Data Must Be Present
Schema markup, meta tags, and other SEO elements need to be on the mobile version, not just the desktop version. Missing mobile schema means missing rich results.

Tip: Click the circle to mark items done.

A Melbourne law firm with a responsive website that works identically on phone and desktop will rank based on a complete, fast experience. Their competitor with a separate, stripped-down mobile site is handicapping their own rankings.

Note

If your website shows different content on mobile than desktop (fewer service descriptions, hidden testimonials, or collapsed FAQ sections), Google may not index that hidden content. Make sure your mobile experience is complete, not just condensed.

Common questions

FAQ

Tap a question to expand.

Does mobile-first indexing mean Google ignores my desktop site?

Not entirely, but Google primarily evaluates and ranks your pages based on the mobile version. If your desktop site has content that's hidden or missing on mobile, Google may not consider that content for rankings.

How do I know if my site is mobile-friendly?

Use Google's PageSpeed Insights or the Lighthouse audit in Chrome DevTools. Check if text is readable without zooming, buttons are easy to tap, and no content requires horizontal scrolling. Browse your own site on your phone. If it's frustrating, so is it for customers.

What if my desktop and mobile sites have different content?

Make sure your mobile site has all the important content from your desktop version. If you hide text, images, or links on mobile to save space, Google may not see that content at all. The mobile version should be complete, not a stripped-down version.

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