Comparing search performance by device reveals whether your site ranks and converts differently on mobile, desktop, and tablet. Since more than 60% of Google searches happen on mobile, a significant gap between mobile and desktop performance is often a sign of technical or UX issues worth fixing.
Why Device-Level Analysis Matters
Google uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it primarily uses the mobile version of your pages for ranking. But ranking and user experience on mobile can still differ from desktop — different screen layouts, slower load times on mobile networks, and different user intent all affect metrics like CTR and position differently across devices.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Open the Performance Report
Go to Performance → Search results in Google Search Console. Ensure all four metrics are enabled: Clicks, Impressions, CTR, and Position.
Step 2: Add a Device Filter
Below the metric boxes, click "+ New" to open the filter panel.
Select "Device" from the list of filter options.
Step 3: Choose a Device Type
Select one of the three device types:
- Mobile — smartphones
- Desktop — desktop and laptop computers
- Tablet — tablets and iPads
Click Apply. The chart and table now reflect data only for that device type.
Step 4: Compare Devices Side-by-Side
To compare multiple devices at once, use the "Compare" tab within the device filter. This overlays two device types on the same chart so you can see click and impression trends for both.
Alternatively, note down the top-line metrics (total clicks, average CTR, average position) for each device by switching between device filters.
Step 5: Break Down by Page or Query
With a device filter active, switch to the "Pages" or "Queries" tab to see which specific pages or queries perform differently across devices. Look for pages that rank well on desktop but have much lower position on mobile — these are candidates for mobile optimization.
What to Look For
| Signal | Likely meaning |
|---|---|
| Mobile CTR much lower than desktop | Title tags or SERP snippets aren't compelling on small screens; titles may be truncating |
| Mobile position significantly worse than desktop | Page experience issues (Core Web Vitals, mobile usability) hurting mobile rankings |
| Desktop clicks dominate despite mobile impressions | High-intent or transactional queries skew to desktop; or mobile UX is causing users to abandon |
| Tablet impressions near zero | Most tablet users are classified as mobile by Google's detection; this is normal |
Common Issues
- Mobile and desktop data look identical — this is expected for many sites, especially if the site is fully responsive and Google sees the same content on both. The value of device filtering is spotting unexpected gaps.
- Position looks worse on mobile — before assuming a ranking problem, check Google Search Console's Core Web Vitals report (under Experience) to see if your mobile pages have CWV issues that could suppress rankings.
Using Sequel
Connect your Google Search Console account to Sequel and ask:
"Compare my mobile vs desktop clicks and CTR for the last 30 days"
"Which pages rank 3 positions lower on mobile than on desktop?"
"Show me mobile impressions and clicks by page for the last 90 days"
Sequel queries the Search Console API with device dimension filtering applied automatically — no manual filter switching needed.