Mobile-first indexing
Example: A bistro's desktop site looks polished, but because Google only ranks the mobile version, a hamburger menu that hides the hours and a reservation button that overflows the screen on a phone are what actually drag its position down.
Google's rule, in effect since 2019, that it only looks at the mobile version of your site when deciding how to rank it. Whatever your desktop site does well no longer matters if the mobile version is bad.
Why it matters
Every audit, every fix, every copy tweak has to be tested on a phone first. Desktop is a nice-to-have in 2026; mobile is the thing Google actually scores.
Frequently asked
What is mobile-first indexing?
Mobile-first indexing is Google's rule, in effect since 2019, that it only looks at the mobile version of your site when deciding how to rank it. Whatever your desktop site does well no longer matters if the mobile version is bad.
Why does mobile-first indexing matter for a restaurant?
Every audit, every fix, every copy tweak has to be tested on a phone first. Desktop is a nice-to-have in 2026; mobile is the thing Google actually scores.
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