Quick Answer: FAII tracks rankings on both desktop and mobile devices. Results often differ - different positions, different SERP features, different AI Overview appearances. Most B2C searches happen on mobile; most B2B research starts on desktop.
Why Device Matters
| Aspect | Desktop | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Results per page | 10 | 8-10 |
| AI Overviews | More common | Less common |
| Local pack | Sometimes | More frequent |
| Featured snippets | Standard | Often expanded |
| Layout | Side panels possible | Single column |
| User intent | Research, comparison | Quick answers, local |
What FAII Tracks
For each keyword, FAII captures results on both devices:- Desktop rankings - Full desktop SERP with all features
- Mobile rankings - Mobile-specific layout and results
- Position differences - Where they disagree
- Feature differences - Which features appear on which device
Common Differences
Rankings can vary significantly
It’s normal to see:- Position 3 on desktop, Position 7 on mobile (or vice versa)
- Featured snippet on desktop but not mobile
- Local pack on mobile but not desktop
- Different AI Overview content between devices
Why they differ
- Mobile-first indexing - Google uses mobile version as primary
- Page speed - Slow mobile pages get penalized on mobile
- Mobile usability - Non-responsive sites rank lower on mobile
- Local bias - Mobile searches favor local results
- Screen space - Fewer results mean more competition for visibility
Choosing What to Prioritize
| Your Audience | Priority Device |
|---|---|
| B2C / consumers | Mobile |
| B2B / professionals | Desktop |
| Local services | Mobile |
| Enterprise software | Desktop |
| Ecommerce | Both (compare) |
| Content/media | Both (compare) |
On the Dashboard
Filter SERP data by device using the device toggle:- All - Combined view (average of both)
- Desktop - Desktop-only results
- Mobile - Mobile-only results
- Comparison - Side-by-side differences
Tips
- If you’re mobile-weak, check page speed - it’s the #1 mobile ranking factor
- Monitor both but act on your audience’s device - don’t optimize for desktop if 80% of customers are mobile
- Mobile local pack is critical for service businesses
- AI Overviews appear more on desktop currently - but this is changing
Related Articles
Geographic Targeting
Location-based differences
SERP Features
Device-specific feature appearances