We’re all working on improving page speed, hoping to benefit from a ranking boost.
Google is said to prioritize speed when ranking search results, which gives fast sites an advantage over sites that take longer to load.
So does a page’s load time affect its SEO?
If so, how strong is the signal?
We’ll answer these questions as we investigate claims about page speed as a Google ranking factor.
Disclaimer: Page Speed is a Ranking Factor
Pages that reach a certain speed threshold are said to benefit from a ranking boost in Google search results.
Speed is measured by how long it takes for a page to load after a user clicks a link on a search engine results page (SERP) – especially now core network vitality Evaluate loading, interactivity, and visual stability.
Google provides a tool called PageSpeed Insights Used to measure load times, which further fuels the claim that speed is a ranking factor.
These claims also stem from Google’s knowledge that pages are designed to provide a great user experience.
This makes it easy to believe that faster pages have an advantage in search.
Loading pages immediately after a click is more pleasing – that’s the whole idea behind AMP.
A SERP full of lightning-fast links sounds like a satisfying solution, but it has the potential to exclude more relevant pages that take longer to load.
This is where the argument that page speed is a ranking factor starts to fall apart.
Google has repeatedly said that relevance is the number one ranking factor.
If fast pages are auto-boosted, they can be served before content that provides better answers to user queries.
This is a disservice to Seekers as it sacrifices quality at the expense of speed.
In short, there are arguments for and against using page speed as a ranking factor.
The importance of this putative signal is hotly debated within the SEO industry.
Let’s look at the evidence in the next section and clear up some misconceptions.
Evidence of page speed as a ranking factor
Speed has been a Google ranking factor since 2010.
The April 2010 announcement confirmed When ranking search results, Google’s search algorithm will start taking speed into account:
“Like us, our users place a high value on speed – that’s why we decided to factor site speed into our search rankings.”
This update applies to desktop search results, where content that is considered fast on desktop may load relatively slowly on mobile devices.
To be sure, mobile searchers are still getting frustratingly slow pages — that is, until nearly a decade later.
In July 2018, Google included page speed as a ranking factor for mobile search results.
One Company Announcement state:
“Users want answers to their questions quickly, and the data shows that people really care about their page load speed. The search team announced that speed would be a ranking signal for desktop search in 2010, and as of this month (July 2018), page speed will also be a mobile Ranking factors for search.”
Google continues to consider page speed when delivering search results, although the company confirms the original signal has been Page Experience Signals.
Google’s John Mueller says Twitter:
“We try to avoid unnecessary duplication in the code, so I assume [the page experience update] Replaces the previous speed ranking factor. “
For more information How Google’s Page Experience Updates Evaluate Speedsee our chapter on Core Web Vitals.
Page Speed as a Ranking Factor: Our Verdict
Page speed is an established ranking factor for Google search results.
The pace at which you need to meet to benefit from this ranking signal is constantly changing.
For now, this can be met by hitting Google’s minimum threshold for core network vitality.
It’s worth reiterating that speed isn’t as important as the relevance of the page.
So keep that in mind when deciding where to put your SEO resources.
Featured image: Paulo Bobita/Search Engine Magazine
