Google’s Mobile-First Indexing Update July 5, 2024: What You Need to Know
Starting update July 5, 2024, Google will fully switch to using its mobile Googlebot to crawl and index all websites. This means that Google will look at your site as if it’s being viewed on a smartphone.
Source: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/06/mobile-indexing-vlast-final-final.doc?hl=en
What Does This Mean for Your Website?
- No Action Needed for Most Sites: If your website is already mobile-friendly, you don’t need to do anything. Google has been using the mobile crawler for most sites for a while now.
- All Sites Crawled by Mobile Googlebot: After July 5 2024, Google will stop using the desktop Googlebot to crawl websites for search indexing. Instead, it will only use the mobile Googlebot.
- Mobile Accessibility is Crucial: If your website’s content isn’t accessible on a mobile device, it won’t be indexed by Google anymore. Make sure your site works well on smartphones to avoid losing visibility in search results.
- Googlebot Desktop Still Around: You might still see Googlebot Desktop in your server logs. It’s occasionally used for specific features like product listings and Google for Jobs.
Key Takeaway
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly so it continues to be indexed and appear in Google search results.