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It is no shocker that Google dances to the tune of mobile users. We have seen it coming—the shift from desktops to smartphones has been a steady march as more folks get their hands on smart devices.

Here is something you will want to sit up and pay attention to if you are a site owner or deal in SEO. Starting July 5th, Google is setting its foot down. If your website can not perform correctly on mobile devices, it will be invisible to Google’s indexing system, underlining just how crucial mobile responsiveness has become in today’s digital age.

The Evolution of Google’s Mobile-First Indexing

Back in 2016, Google threw a curveball that gradually shifted the SEO game completely towards mobile-first indexing. The goal was clear: prioritizing websites that perform well on smartphones, which makes a ton of sense, considering that most people practically live on our mobile devices.

Flash forward to today; this initiative is hitting another major milestone. John Mueller from Google recently gave some updates. While most sites were already crawled by what they call the “mobile Googlebot,” there are still a few stragglers being indexed the old-school desktop way.

That is all changing after July 5th. From then onwards, if your site is not up to scratch on mobile platforms, no one will know you exist in Google’s eyes.

Understanding Mobile-Friendliness vs. Mobile Accessibility

There is some confusion about what Google’s indexing changes truly mean, so let us clarify mobile friendliness and mobile accessibility. Sure, these sound like they could be the same thing, but key differences matter a lot for your site.

Mobile-friendly is about providing a stellar user experience on mobile devices—think well-placed buttons and readable text sizes. On the flip side, mobile accessibility purely means your website can load and be navigated on smartphones or tablets.

For instance, if you have a site that slogs through with an old-school desktop template but still manages to load on a phone, Google will continue to index it. However, try to take advantage of this, thinking this is all you need; your users might not stick around long due to poor experiences navigating through something meant for bigger screens while squinting at their smartphones.

Why Many Site Owners Can Breathe Easy

If you have kept up with digital trends, your site probably will not face any hiccups regarding these new indexing rules. However, now and then, as an SEO expert, you could run into a client whose site is mysteriously absent from search results.

More often than not, the culprit could be a lack of mobile accessibility. If that sounds like your predicament, it is crucial first to diagnose if the issue is rooted in poor mobile performance.

Staying Ahead of the Game with Mobile-First Indexing

Navigating the murky waters of SEO and mobile-first indexing can be tricky, but you are not in this alone. Partnering up with digital marketing professionals is a game-changer.

Take BluShark Digital, for instance — we specialize in crafting strategies that boost your online presence and ensure your site thrives on mobile responsiveness.

If keeping up with Google’s changes feels overwhelming, call us and see how they can help keep your site squarely on Google’s radar.