More Australians are browsing the internet on their mobile devices than ever before. Google recognises this, and for some time now, has been using ‘mobile-first indexing’. This means Google primarily uses the mobile version of a website for indexing and ranking. If your website isn’t optimised for mobile, you’re already losing ground in search results, and crucially, missing out on conversions.
Optimising for mobile-first isn’t just about making your site ‘responsive’ – meaning it adjusts to different screen sizes. It’s about delivering a genuinely great mobile experience. Here’s what we recommend focusing on to improve both your search ranking and, more importantly, turn mobile visitors into customers.
- Page Speed is Paramount: Mobile users are impatient. Slow loading times will send them straight to a competitor. We use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix issues – optimising images, leveraging browser caching, and minimising code are key.
- Simplify Navigation: Mobile screens are small. Complex menus and cluttered layouts are frustrating. We advocate for a streamlined, intuitive navigation structure. Think ‘thumb-friendly’ – can users easily tap and navigate with one hand?
- Prioritise Above-the-Fold Content: What users see immediately when they land on your page is critical. We ensure key information, calls to action, and value propositions are visible without scrolling.
- Optimise Forms for Mobile: Lengthy forms are a conversion killer on mobile. We recommend minimising form fields, using auto-fill options, and ensuring the keyboard doesn’t obscure input fields.
Don’t underestimate the power of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP), although their importance is lessening as core web vitals become more central to ranking. They can still provide a significant speed boost for content-heavy pages like blog posts. However, focusing on overall core web vitals – Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, and Cumulative Layout Shift – will deliver the biggest gains.
Ultimately, mobile-first indexing isn’t a one-time fix. It requires ongoing monitoring and optimisation. We suggest regularly reviewing your website’s performance on mobile devices, analysing user behaviour with tools like Google Analytics, and making data-driven improvements. The outcome? A better user experience, higher search rankings, and increased conversions from your mobile audience.
