What does Google say about SEO? /
The Mobile category consolidates all official Google statements regarding website optimization for mobile devices and their impact on organic search performance. Since the implementation of mobile-first indexing, Google systematically prioritizes the mobile version of websites for indexing and ranking in search results. This section compiles essential guidance on responsive design, smartphone loading speed optimization, viewport configuration, and technologies like AMP. SEO practitioners will find Google's official positions on major updates such as Mobilegeddon, which transformed ranking criteria by favoring mobile-friendly sites. Understanding these guidelines has become imperative: with over 60% of global web traffic originating from mobile devices, mobile user experience directly determines organic visibility. Google's declarations on adaptive design, common responsive implementation errors, and mobile-specific Core Web Vitals criteria constitute strategic resources for any SEO professional aiming to optimize SERP performance and deliver an exemplary mobile experience. This category serves as a comprehensive reference for navigating Google's evolving mobile requirements and ensuring websites meet the search engine's standards for smartphone accessibility, usability, and technical excellence.
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★★★ Is mobile-first indexing really a ranking factor?
Mobile-first indexing mainly concerns the indexing of mobile content, not mobile compatibility as a ranking factor. Google needs to see the content on mobile. Desktop-only sites with table-based desig...
John Mueller Jun 12, 2020
Why does Google sometimes index your AMP pages before their canonical HTML version?
Google may sometimes discover and index an AMP page before its canonical HTML version, especially if links point directly to the AMP. Once the HTML page is crawled, Google connects the two versions an...
John Mueller Jun 12, 2020
★★★ Is Google really testing the AMP version for Core Web Vitals even if the mobile version is indexed?
For evaluating Core Web Vitals and the page experience score, Google tests the version that users actually see. If a site has an AMP version, it is the AMP version that will be tested for speed and us...
John Mueller Jun 12, 2020
★★★ Should you really keep the canonical from desktop to mobile in mobile-first indexing?
For sites with separate mobile URLs (m.example.com), even after the switch to mobile-first indexing, you must continue to set the rel canonical from the mobile version to the desktop version and the r...
John Mueller Jun 12, 2020
★★ Does Discover really work without strict technical criteria?
There are no specific technical requirements, mandatory formats, or necessary meta tags to appear in Discover (except for not blocking crawls). You need to create content that your audience really lik...
John Mueller Jun 12, 2020
★★★ Is JavaScript navigation without URLs ruining your site’s mobile-first indexing?
If a site's mobile version uses only JavaScript for navigation, without normal URLs (everything stays on the same URL with changing layers), Google will not be able to crawl and index the content. Wit...
John Mueller Jun 12, 2020
★★★ Why do your desktop images and videos become invisible to Google in mobile-first?
With mobile-first indexing, if images or videos are very visible on desktop but tiny or at the bottom of the page on mobile, they are less likely to appear in image and video search results. Visual co...
John Mueller Jun 12, 2020
★★ Is it true that all sites indexed after July 2019 default to Mobile-First Indexing?
Sites created and indexed after July 2019 are supposed to be automatically in Mobile-First Indexing. If Search Console still displays 'desktop Googlebot', it is likely a display bug in the tool, as se...
Anonyme (金谷武明) Jun 04, 2020
★★★ Can Google really delay Mobile-First Indexing indefinitely?
The forced migration of all sites to Mobile-First Indexing, initially planned for September 1, 2020, may be postponed. Google is re-evaluating this date due to the COVID context and will communicate a...
Anonyme (金谷武明) Jun 04, 2020
★★★ Is it true that mobile accordion hidden content is indexed as visible content?
With Mobile-First Indexing, hidden content within mobile accordions is indeed recognized by Google. The handling of accordion content on PC no longer impacts indexing as Google now crawls with the mob...
金谷武明 Jun 04, 2020
★★ Does the HTTP header rel=canonical really work to manage duplicate content?
The rel=canonical attribute specified via the HTTP header is still recognized and effective. Google recommends using it if pages (like PDFs) are duplicated across multiple domains (separate PC and mob...
Anonyme (金谷武明) Jun 04, 2020
★★★ Why does Search Console still show 'PC Googlebot' on recent sites when Mobile-First Index is supposed to be the standard?
Newly indexed sites since July 2019 are supposed to be on Mobile-First Index by default. If Search Console shows 'PC Googlebot', it’s likely a display bug in the interface, not a real issue. Check ser...
金谷武明 Jun 04, 2020
★★★ Why is Google delaying the complete transition to the Mobile-First Index?
The full migration to the Mobile-First Index, initially scheduled for September 1st, may be postponed due to the health situation. Google will announce the final date later....
金谷武明 Jun 04, 2020
★★★ Are mobile and desktop accordions really neutral for SEO?
Google recognizes and correctly indexes hidden content in accordions, whether on mobile or desktop. With Mobile-First Indexing, hidden content on desktop has no impact on indexing because Google mainl...
Anonyme (金谷武明) Jun 04, 2020
★★ Does the rel=canonical via HTTP header really still work?
The rel=canonical attribute via HTTP header continues to work and remains effective for PDFs or other content with separate desktop/mobile versions on different domains....
金谷武明 Jun 04, 2020
★★★ Can you really display different content on mobile and desktop without facing penalties?
Google indexes the mobile version of the content. Displaying slightly different content between mobile and desktop is acceptable, unless it is malicious cloaking (e.g., comics on mobile, adult content...
John Mueller May 29, 2020
★★ Do PWAs really receive the same SEO treatment as traditional sites?
For Google, Progressive Web Apps are primarily websites. The fact that it is a PWA has no particular impact on SEO. The same testing tools apply: Mobile-Friendly Test, Rich Results Test, URL Inspectio...
Martin Splitt May 27, 2020
★★★ Is it really true that JavaScript-rendered content can be indexed by Google without any friction?
If the content appears in the 'Rendered HTML' tab of testing tools (Mobile-Friendly Test, Rich Results Test, URL Inspection Tool), it is correctly indexable by Google, even if it is not in the origina...
Martin Splitt May 27, 2020
★★★ Should you really optimize your site for mobile-first indexing?
About 70% of all search results are indexed through mobile-first indexing. Google was expected to switch all sites in September 2020, but this date could change due to COVID-19. Search Console indicat...
John Mueller May 26, 2020
★★★ Can Googlebot really crawl hidden links in a hamburger menu?
If a mobile navigation only appears in the DOM after user interaction (clicking on the hamburger), Googlebot will not see these links. The links must be present in the DOM, even if they are visually h...
Martin Splitt May 18, 2020
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