XF 2.1 New Mobile Usability issues detected for site using default style

[Andro]

Hello,

My community uses default XenForo style. I keep getting emails from Google webmaster to fix this.

Search Console has identified that your site is affected by 3 Mobile Usability issues:

Top Issues

The following issues were found on your site:

• Content wider than screen
• Clickable elements too close together
• Text too small to read

We recommend that you fix these issues when possible to enable the best experience and coverage in Google Search.

 

[Captilist Swine]

Just started doing it to me. No idea why. After update a couple days ago it started and clicking fix doesn't work. Nothing on the site other than updating it to 2.2.7 has changed.

 

[djbaxter]

This has nothing to do with Xenforo or the upgrade.

Those automatic "checks" and emails have been buggy from the start. In most cases, they can be safely ignored.

Google Says You Can Ignore Mobile Usability Issue Notices If You Pass Live Test

Google's John Mueller said that if your page passes the live mobile usability test - that means you can ignore the Search Console notices of "new mobile usability issues detected for site." So as long as you pass the live mobile friendly test, you are good to go.

www.seroundtable.com

If you want to feel like you're doing something, don't change anything on your page/site at all — just click on validate. In a few days, you'll get another email saying you're fine now. After a while, you'll probably get another email — you can ignore that too or repeat the same "validate" option again.

This whole thing is really like an annoying joke coming from a buggy algorithm that Google can't be bothered to fix.

I've been doing this for about 2 years ago on all my sites, not just the Xenforo ones.

 

[Captilist Swine]

just click on validate.

After update a couple days ago it started and clicking fix doesn't work.

 

[Captilist Swine]

Just found out what it was. It was the "matched content" on Adsense. When you have that it ads a menu of your site content at the bottom along with a couple of adverts. I disabled that because as I looked at it on my phone the images looked really close to the edge.

So in the end it is Google Adsense that is causing the matched content ads to cause the errors on the mobile end of things. Why am I not surprised?

 

[djbaxter]

Then just ignore it.

Check to make sure you pass the mobility test:

Overview | Lighthouse | Chrome for Developers

Learn how to set up Lighthouse to audit your web apps.

search.google.com

As long as you pass that Google test, ignore the emails.

 

[benFF]

Just started getting this too - haven't modified the defaults in regards to size.

Only for thread pages though, normal pages pass - which would imply it's nothing to do with the headers or footers.

But this makes no sense, as my postbit templates are exactly the same as this site - no modifications at all!

 

[djbaxter]

The algorithms that trigger these emails are flawed and have been for months. I ignore them.

 

[benFF]

The algorithms that trigger these emails are flawed and have been for months. I ignore them.

That's a possibility, but if Google thinks it then it might be affecting us.

I guess the only way to confirm the issue is stock or not is to disable every addon and put the default style back, then run the test again.

That will need to be an early am test!

 

[benFF]

Just to update this for anyone, my issue was related to the fact it was showing a 468*60 Adsense banner on a mobile page (the responsive bit of the adsense wasn't working).

Quite why this caused a "text too small to read" issue I'm not sure - maybe because the page was zooming out to get the whole banner in?

But anyway, fixing that and everything passes now.

 

[fionix]

I got the same issue with out site, after blaming Xenforo and PixelExit at the first time, it all went out to be the ADs Manager from Sirupo, that smashed our test result. When disabling this ADD on, the website passes the test with no problems.

No we are waiting for him to fix the ADD or to tell us what to do..... in worst case we will have to replace the add on....

 

[djbaxter]

@Siropu's Ads Manager / AM Lite is not a problem.

Indeed, your site is probably also not the problem.

The problem is a poor Google algorithm checking and sending out these emails. Do nothing, and the "problem" magically repairs itself. Just go to your Google Search Console and click to validate without changing anything.

 

[ActorMike]

after blaming Xenforo and PixelExit at the first time, it all went out to be the ADs Manager from Sirupo, that smashed our test result.

You may still be blaming the wrong thing because I use @Siropu Ads Manager 2.4.7 and don't have any issues. Could be one of your ads that is the problem or there may be no problem at all and the message erroneously sent.

 

[fionix]

Yes yes... as you say, non the less, he helped me and changes were required,after that, the test passes and we are fine.

 

[Joe Link]

Yes yes... as you say, non the less, he helped me and changes were required,after that, the test passes and we are fine.

Which changes did you have to make?