The Possum update was the most recent news from the Googleplex regarding the search engine result page, until now. The big news on Google's Search Algorithm is not new news. We have all known that mobile is important, now Google is announcing a fundamental shift of it's focus on Mobile vs. Desktop. According to the Guardian, "Google is fully splitting its search index into two distinct versions: a rapidly updated mobile one, and a separate, secondary search index for the desktop web." This means optimizing for mobile first, and not having two separate sites (mobile and desktop), is crucial to your performance online.
Google already favor's mobile friendly sites, but this change is an actual split in the search Algorithm. One for mobile and one for desktop. The mobile Algorithm will be rapidly updated essentially demoting the desktop Algorithm to a slower update cycle. Called the next logical step by some, the change is said to be a few Months away.
An Optimal Experience On Every Screen
- Desktop searches could become slightly out of date compared to mobile
- Google will judge sites with separate mobile and desktop version unfavorably
- Focusing on your mobile experience is more important than ever
- The new mobile index will become the primary focus of Google
There is much to be left up for discussion and many questions left to be answered. Including when the change will occur. In many markets mobile has always been first, but in the US desktops are not going away. So, how out of date will the desktop index be?
Stay tuned for more updates. For now, begin to evaluate your website's mobile experience. Also, have us run a few tests to see if you would be affected by the change. It's been called Mobilegeddon and like many of Google's other changes, it is ever evolving,