Google Website Speed and Algorithm Update
Just recently, Google announced yet another major change to one of its search algorithms – this time to the algorithm that determines ranking results for the mobile search, with specific reference to website speed. While website speed and how quickly pages load has been a factor in determining desktop search rankings for a few years now, as of July this year website speed will also become a major ranking factor for mobile searches.
Of course, this is not really a surprise. With more and more people on mobile, it was inevitable that user experience with mobile search and how quickly website pages load would get more and more attention.
Mobile Search Will Continue to Increase the Demand for a Faster Website Speed
Google is calling this recent change to its search algorithm the “Speed Update”. In its announcement of the update, Google said that it would really only affect pages that “deliver the slowest experience to (mobile) users” – for now…
Already back in 2016, mobile internet browsing exceeded desktop internet browsing in volume. In other words, if you haven’t yet optimised your website for mobile devices then you’re definitely missing out on a whole lot of possible leads and conversions.
So, as mobile search grows in volume, users will continue to put pressure on Google to ensure mobile search is as fast as possible. That’s why, as a website development company, Net Branding’s team of website developers have been advising clients for quite some time to make sure their websites are optimised for mobile.
And now that Google will soon be looking specifically at how fast website speed is for mobile search, and use that as a ranking factor in its results listing for mobile search, it’s more important than ever to pay close attention to making sure your website is optimised for mobile users.
Website speed is not the only factor to keep in mind
While website speed is going to be a significant factor in search ranking from July, speed is still just one of many signals that Google and other search engine use to rank pages. If a slow page has great, relevant content it may still rank higher than a much faster loading page with less than ideal content. The user experience is not just about speed – it’s about speed and relevance, and more.
So, to recap, here are 3 ways to ensure a positive user search experience (which is what Google wants) with your website, no matter what device or browser they’re using.
- Make your website faster and drastically decrease page load time, so all your landing pages always load quickly.
- Ensure your navigation is simple so visitors can easily move around your website.
- Have compelling, fresh and relevant content, and make sure your product or service information is crystal clear, so people know exactly what you’re offering and what they need to do.
How to prevent Google penalising your website for slow speed
Remember, Google doesn’t mess around when it comes to ensuring that users are taken to websites that give them what they want. If your website doesn’t give Google’s users the experience they demand by loading quickly and providing useful information, then you’re going to see a drop off in traffic to your website – and less traffic translates into fewer leads and conversions, and declining sales. It’s as simple as that really.
However, the good news about Google’s announcement of its Speed Update is that they’ve given everyone quite a few months’ notices before it’ll take effect. So you’ve got an opportunity to get the team at website development company Net Branding to take a look at your website – we can help you ensure your website isn’t penalised by Google’s Speed Update.
We’ll do a thorough audit, including testing your website speed, making sure it’s optimised for both desktop and mobile, and check to ensure all your content is compelling and relevant for your target audience.
Once we’ve identified all potential obstacles to the performance of your website, we’ll provide you with clear and actionable recommendations for improvement. We’re just a phone call away, so don’t wait until Google’s Speed Update stops ranking your website in search results before you take action. Call us today.
