[Resolved] Mobile usability issues detected on Google Search Console

[Ross]

Hi there,

Google search console detected mobile usability issues with my site. Specifically:
– Text too small to read
– Clickable elements too close together
– Content wider than screen

Here is an example URL it flagged: https://disciplinedrebel.com/why-am-i-motivated-at-night-but-not-in-the-morning/

This happened once I shifted over to GeneratePress premium several days back.

I am getting a pass on this mobile friendly test: https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly?utm_source=support.google.com%2Fwebmasters%2F&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=%206352293&id=I21U7pkb4yygRl_jNTKUIQ

I tried validating things in Google Search Console, and it is still failing for some reason (despite the mobile-friendly test still passing).

Do you have any idea how to fix things, to get Google Search Console to stop showing the error?

Thanks in advance!
Ross

[Leo]

Hi there,

Please take a look at this article first:
https://docs.generatepress.com/article/text-too-small-to-read-and-clickable-elements-too-close-together/

[Ross]

Thanks Leo! That article was incredibly helpful.

Even though the search console mobile friendly test site was passing me, lighthouse flagged some issues. Through browsing your past great support responses to similar issues, and a miraculous CSS tweak I managed on my own, I was able to adjust them so they pass!

A couple more questions, before I submit to search console for re-validation:

1. The errors I fixed were all related to the “clickable elements too close together error.” Which I feel good about now. However, the other 2 errors search console gave were not flagged in lighthouse (text too small & content wider than screen). Is there anything else you recommend I do to test for/resolve those issues?

For the record, my font sizes are at the default GeneratePress level of 17. No idea what the “content wider than screen” could be (I can’t find evidence of that visually).

2. Should I go ahead and try re-validating things with Google? Is there a limit to how much I try to validate in Search Console (like will they punish me after too many failed attempts)?

Thanks!
Ross

[Leo]

1. The errors I fixed were all related to the “clickable elements too close together error.” Which I feel good about now. However, the other 2 errors search console gave were not flagged in lighthouse (text too small & content wider than screen). Is there anything else you recommend I do to test for/resolve those issues?

For the record, my font sizes are at the default GeneratePress level of 17. No idea what the “content wider than screen” could be (I can’t find evidence of that visually).

I’m not an expert on this but I believe sometimes a caching plugin like WP Rocket can cause a false negative like this. Maybe try running the test with just GP Premium activated to see if the issue still occurs?

2. Should I go ahead and try re-validating things with Google? Is there a limit to how much I try to validate in Search Console (like will they punish me after too many failed attempts)?

I believe you can run the test as often as you want to see if the fixes worked 🙂

[Ross]

Thanks! I just clicked “re-validate” in Google Search Console (to see if the other changes alone fix things).

If they fail again, I’ll have to think about where to go from there, since I know removing WP Rocket will massively slow down my site. And I use their CDN. Plus, lighthouse doesn’t show any errors, so I’d have to leave the site really slow for at least a day or 2 while google search console does it’s thing, to see if it helped. So, fingers crossed that isn’t needed!

[Leo]

No problem 🙂

[Author]

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