Google Explained the Nuance of Mobile-First Indexing
Mobile First is an indexing model where the ranking of sites takes into account the mobile version. It was introduced by Google developers in 2018. G-Squared SEO consultant Glenn Gabe pointed out that during mobile-first indexing, Google occasionally scanned the desktop version of the site.
This nuance was explained by Google’s search representative John Mueller. In March 2022, during a live session for webmasters, Mueller noted that indexing works correctly. Indeed, after switching sites to mobile-focused indexing, Google sometimes reads data from the desktop version, while the content may not be captured. This process is automated and occurs because Google checks the relationship between desktop and mobile URLs.
This process also affects the sites that do not support the new indexing at the moment.
Previously, in the official blog, Mueller published an article indicating the company adjusted the timeline for transitioning to mobile-first indexing for websites. Google plans to complete the procedure by mid-summer 2022.