Google Might Remove Your Website on July 5th 2024...

Google's Mobile-First Indexing Deadline: Your Website Must Work on Mobile by July 5

Google's long-standing mobile-first indexing initiative, which began in 2016, is finally reaching its conclusion. The tech giant has set a firm deadline: after July 5, 2024, websites that aren't accessible on mobile devices won't be indexed or ranked by Google. This news comes from John Mueller of Google, who shared the update on the Google blog.

What's Changing?

Mueller explained that most of the web is already being crawled by Google's mobile bot (Googlebot Smartphone). However, there's a small group of sites still being crawled by the desktop Googlebot. That's about to change.

"After July 5, 2024, we'll crawl and index these sites with only Googlebot Smartphone," Mueller stated. This means if your site doesn't work on mobile, Google "will no longer" index or rank it.

Mobile or Bust

Mueller made it crystal clear: "If your site's content is not accessible at all with a mobile device, it will no longer be indexable." This is a game-changer for any sites that have been dragging their feet on mobile optimization.

But don't panic just yet. Google isn't demanding a mobile-friendly design (though that's always a good idea). They're saying that if your site simply won't load or render on mobile devices, it's out of the index. So, if you have a desktop-only template that loads fine on a phone, you're okay.

Some Desktop Crawling Will Continue

Google did mention that Googlebot Desktop will still be used for product listings and Google for Jobs. So, you might still spot it in your server logs and reporting tools.

Why This Matters

For most websites, this probably won't be an issue. But imagine you're hired to do SEO for a client, and their site won't load on your iPhone or Android. After July 5, that site might not show up in Google searches at all.

Your Action Plan

1. Test your site on various mobile devices.

2. Use Google Search Console's URL Inspection tool to check if Google can render your pages.

3. If there are issues, work on making your site accessible on mobile - not necessarily mobile-friendly, but at least functional. Work with a local Mobile Website Optimizer.

In short, if you want to be found on Google after July 5, 2024, your website must work on mobile. It's that simple. Don't let your hard work go unseen because of an outdated, mobile-unfriendly site. Get mobile-ready now!