Mobile friendly is what makes users on phones happy when they visit your website. Mobile first indexing means Google looks at the mobile version of your website first.
I have a habit with my phone, and you probably do it, too.
If I hear about a restaurant, a cool store, an upcoming event, or a new business, I have to take out my phone and do a search right then and there.
I can be in the grocery store or in the passenger seat while my husband is driving. I must search now (before I forget especially).
That website I’m looking for has to work from wherever I am at that moment.
Business owners may not realize how many people are visiting their websites from a phone.
That tiny screen could be a customer’s first introduction to your business.
And yet, some websites still expect me use a magnifying glass or have tiny thumbs for pushing little buttons.
What Does Mobile First Mean to Google?
Google’s mobile first indexing means it looks at the mobile version of your website content first. Google then decides what to include in search and how to rank it.
You don’t need a separate phone website, and desktop visitors still matter.
What Google recommends is a responsive website that resizes automatically for all devices.
Same content, same web address. The design is fluid to fit different screen sizes.
And no, shrinking your layout and design so it technically fits on a phone is not the same as responsive.
A mobile-friendly website shows visitors what they came for without a finger workout having to pinch and zoom.
Give Your Website the Thumb Test
Bring your website up on your phone.
Now pretend you’re a first-time visitor who knows nothing about your business.
Do the following:
- Read the words. Text should be comfortable to read, with enough breathing room between paragraphs. If your visitors need to rotate their phones and borrow reading glasses, something’s off.
- Find the menu. Navigation should be simple and familiar. Don’t make visitors solve a puzzle to find your hours, services, location, or contact page.
- Tap the right thing. Buttons and links need room around them. If tapping the Contact link accidentally opens your Privacy Policy, your thumb has found a tiny screen problem.
- See the whole page. Photos and content should fit the screen without having to scroll sideways. Images should look good and load fast, instead slowly loading a few pixels at a time.
- Get the full story. Important details are easy to see on mobile like what you offer, where you are, how to reach you, and answers to common questions. A phone user deserves the same experience as someone at a desk.
- Complete a task. Try calling your business. Try filling out a form. Check your hours from your phone. If it takes too much effort, people will move on before they ever say hello to you.
OK, were you able to do all those things without squinting, pinching, zooming, or cursing under your breath?
Mobile Friendly or Tiny Screen Problem?
Desktop screens give your website lots of room to spread out.
Phones force you to answer: “What does a visitor need right now?”
Maybe people just want to know whether you’re open before the drive all the way across town.
Or, maybe they’re in a hotel room just looking for your address.
That’s why mobile friendly design is more than a must-have. The design needs focus on providing content that’s clear, useful, and easy to read.
Mobile Friend and Mobile First
Your website may look gorgeous on the big screen sitting on your big desk.
But its real test today?
It’s the customer holding a phone in one hand and a coffee in the other.
Try visiting your website that way. Your thumbs will tell you the truth.
