Yandex Rolls Out Mobile Friendly Algorithm
It is expected that the algorithm and labeling system will change in time, with the whole site likely to contribute
Feb 12, 2016
It’s almost a year since Google launched ‘Mobilegeddon’ and rolled out its mobile friendly algorithm, prioritizing mobile optimised websites in search results on mobile phones and now the biggest search engine in Russia – Yandex looks to be doing the same.
The search engine has now rolled out its mobile friendly label in Russia and will soon be making the changes live in the other countries in which Yandex is used: Ukraine, Turkey, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The label points out those pages and software that are not optimised for mobile.
Much like Google’s criteria for mobile-friendly sites, Yandex looks at signals such as easy-to-click links, clear text on small screens and layouts that suit smartphones. Again, in a similar way to Google, the Russian search engine has created a diagnostics page, allowing webmasters to run their URL through the system to see if it reaches the criteria.
It is expected that the algorithm and labeling system will change in time, with the whole site likely to contribute. For example, if a full website is optimised for mobile, that is taken into consideration.
The main difference between Yandex and Google is that, unlike Google, Yandex wont be necessarily rewarding websites that perform well on mobile but will be taking stern action against those sites that are not mobile optimised.
Not long after Google launched its mobile-friendly algorithm last year, rival search engine Bing announced that it was following up with its own algorithm change along the same lines. With the news that Yandex is also pushing through their mobile-friendly algorithm, not only will it impact those who are managing SEO in Russia, but it is a signal that search engines around the world could be all prioritizing mobile going forward.
The search engine has now rolled out its mobile friendly label in Russia and will soon be making the changes live in the other countries in which Yandex is used: Ukraine, Turkey, Belarus and Kazakhstan. The label points out those pages and software that are not optimised for mobile.
Much like Google’s criteria for mobile-friendly sites, Yandex looks at signals such as easy-to-click links, clear text on small screens and layouts that suit smartphones. Again, in a similar way to Google, the Russian search engine has created a diagnostics page, allowing webmasters to run their URL through the system to see if it reaches the criteria.
It is expected that the algorithm and labeling system will change in time, with the whole site likely to contribute. For example, if a full website is optimised for mobile, that is taken into consideration.
The main difference between Yandex and Google is that, unlike Google, Yandex wont be necessarily rewarding websites that perform well on mobile but will be taking stern action against those sites that are not mobile optimised.
Not long after Google launched its mobile-friendly algorithm last year, rival search engine Bing announced that it was following up with its own algorithm change along the same lines. With the news that Yandex is also pushing through their mobile-friendly algorithm, not only will it impact those who are managing SEO in Russia, but it is a signal that search engines around the world could be all prioritizing mobile going forward.