Speed Things Up: How Page Speed Impacts Mobile Search Ranking
Mobile search rankings on Google will now be influenced by web page loading speed for mobile devices.
Here's the scoop: from July 2018, page speed became a crucial ranking factor for mobile searches on Google. In other words, if your site takes forever to load, it could potentially slide down the search rankings. The reasoning behind this is simple: faster websites offer users a smoother experience, keeping them engaged and less likely to bounce off. Slow sites can push away users due to high bounce rates and reduced time spent, signaling to Google that the site may not be providing much value [1], [3], [4].
Assessing Page Speed Performance
Luckily, there are a variety of tools to help you evaluate and enhance your page speed:
- Google PageSpeed Insights: This tool will give you a detailed breakdown of your page speed metrics, as well as suggestions for improvement. It assesses both desktop and mobile performance, analyzing aspects such as server response time, image compression, and code minification [3], [4].
- Google Search Console: While primarily used for managing search engine appearances and crawling, it offers insights into site performance issues that might affect page speed [2].
- GTmetrix: This tool provides in-depth reports on your page load times and offers ideas for optimization. It utilizes data from Google PageSpeed and YSlow for a thorough analysis [4].
Supercharging Page Speed
Want a faster site? Here are some strategies to consider:
- Image Optimization: Compressing images can drastically cut load times. Tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel can help [5].
- Browser Caching: Allow browsers to store frequently accessed resources, reducing the need for repeated requests to the server [3].
- Minify and Compress Code: Minify and compress CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files to reduce their size and data transfer [4].
- CDN (Content Delivery Network) Utilization: Serve static content from a network of servers closest to users to reduce latency and improve load times [4].
[1] https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2018/07/10/speed-update
[2] https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/182170
[3] https://developers.google.com/speed/docs/insights/rule-ajax
[4] https://developers.google.com/speed/docs/insights/rule-javascript
[5] https://tinypng.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TinyPNG-Optimized-Images-vs-Original-Images-Speed-and-Quality-Comparison.png
Coding techniques such as minifying and compressing code can help in improving page speed, making technology more efficient. Utilizing a Content Delivery Network (CDN) also aids in reducing latency and improving load times, which is another aspect of technology.
