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Google is Working on Completely Separate Mobile Index From Desktop Index

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google logo yellowAt SMX this week, Gary Illyes dropped a bombshell when he stated that Google is working on a mobile only version of the search index, which would see desktop and mobile have completely separate search indexes.

Not only is it in the works, but Google currently has a team working on this, which definitely means this has gone well beyond the “well, this would be a cool idea” stage.

What would having two indexes mean for webmasters?  It definitely does raise the question about whether webmasters should be focusing on the user experience for both desktop and mobile as completely separate user experiences.  So while Google has recommended responsive design for quite some time, it would seem responsive might not be the best option if SEOs would need to focus SEO and potentially different SEO tactics for ranking in two different indexes.

If you are still working on changing your site over to mobile before the April 21st date when Google turns on the mobile-friendliness as a ranking signal, it is worth considering which style of a mobile site you implement, whether it is an m.example.com site or a responsive which is essentially the same as desktop, just designed so it scales appropriately on a smart phone or tablet.

So just how far along is Google in working on this?  Gary Illyes says that while they do have plans to do this, he is not sure what stage they are at.  And unfortunately, they have nothing to announce about it.

There is full coverage on Gary lllyes comments about mobile here.

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Jennifer Slegg

Founder & Editor at The SEM Post
Jennifer Slegg is a longtime speaker and expert in search engine marketing, working in the industry for almost 20 years. When she isn't sitting at her desk writing and working, she can be found grabbing a latte at her local Starbucks or planning her next trip to Disneyland. She regularly speaks at Pubcon, SMX, State of Search, Brighton SEO and more, and has been presenting at conferences for over a decade.

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Comments

  1. Hi Jennifer

    I thought that’s what the whole April 21st ‘judgement day’ thing was for – a separate version of the search index? Different rankings etc.

    Will they not be completely separate from the 21st onwards then? :confused:

    • There isn’t a separate one yet. What is coming into play on the 21st is an additional mobile-friendly signal being applied to the search algo (so on top of the current algo) for mobile search results.

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