Google’s Gary Illyes has confirmed that they will be splitting up the search index and focus on a “mobile-first” search index. A confirmed date has not been officially announced but we can expect to see a release in the upcoming months.
What does a Mobile-First Search Index Mean for Webmasters?
Google currently has one search index and has been using the desktop version of webpages for ranking purposes. By splitting up the search index, Google will set up a new primary index that will index mobile versions of pages over desktop versions.
Why is Google moving to Mobile-First?
This move should not come as a surprise to those that have been following Google’s movements in recent years. They have placed heavy emphasis on mobile search with a focus on improving overall user experience on mobile. This has resulted in several key updates in recent times with the following; a mobile-friendly ranking algorithm, making site speed a ranking factor, introducing AMP, and announcing plans to release a penalty for “intrusive interstitials”. These are ever more significant considering recent reports claiming that US mobile search share is roughly 60 percent of overall search query volume.