SEO

Mobile-first indexing

By Paul Brock·Updated on 22-04-2026
TL;DR

Mobile-first indexing is Google's system where the mobile version of your site is the primary source for indexing and ranking, standard since 2021.

Since July 2021 Google crawls and indexes sites primarily via Googlebot-Mobile. Content, structured data, internal links and images that exist only on desktop are ignored. Responsive design is the 2026 standard.

Example

A site had an extensive FAQ section on desktop, collapsed on mobile behind 'View FAQ'. Google indexed only the default-visible content. Fix: make default-visible on mobile or use details/summary tags.

Frequently asked questions

How do I test mobile-first compatibility?

Search Console > Mobile Usability report + URL inspect 'View crawled page' in mobile mode shows what Googlebot-Mobile actually sees.

Related terms

Core Web VitalsTechnical SEOSchema markupBreadcrumbsInternal linksGoogle Search Console

Further reading

  • → Our service: SEO

Need help with SEO or GEO?

We help Bitcoin, AI and fintech companies get found in Google and in AI search engines.

Book a call