March 5, 2018 | By:

How Google’s Speed Update Affects Your SEO Ranking on Mobile Searches

Earlier this year, Google announced that page speed is now a key ranking factor for mobile searches. The “Speed Update,” as Google calls it, is set to be rolled out starting July 2018.

Although page load speed has been used as a ranking signal for quite some time, the previous algorithm focused more on desktop searches. As mobile internet usage continues to surge further in the coming years, mobile search is now more relevant than ever, and page speed is among the main factors for consideration in improving usability and mobile user experience.

 What you need to know about Google’s Speed Update

Google is pretty succinct in their announcement: The new algorithm change will only affect mobile pages that deliver the slowest load speeds. Google further iterated that the update will affect only a small percentage of mobile queries. And while some slow mobile pages will be affected, those whose content is relevant and of high quality will still thrive.

As of this writing, it is not clear yet whether slow-loading mobile pages will be penalized by Google. This means that if your website has already been optimized for mobile and you’ve passed Google’s mobile speed test, you probably don’t need to worry—for now.

However, it’s still worth taking a shot on implementing measures to further improve your site’s page load speed and prepare for the Speed Update as early as now.

What your business can do to improve mobile page load speed
1. Consider Accelerated Mobile Pages

Google’s Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) allows you to create web pages that load faster on mobile browsers. Although Google didn’t state that AMPs garner better ranking in their search results, or if the Speed Update will have anything to do with the AMP’s platform, creating AMP versions of your website could help in improving your mobile user experience.

To get started, check out AMP Project’s step-by-step guide on how to create AMP pages.

2. Optimize images for mobile

Unoptimized images, or those with large file sizes, often account for the heaviest elements in a website. A quick fix in improving your mobile site’s performance is to optimize your images so that fewer bytes of data are required to load the image.

You can use free online tools like TinyPNG and Optimizilla to compress file sizes without having to compromise image quality. You can also opt to use Image Quick’s convert binary to optimize your GIF and PNG images using Command Line codes.

3. Write strong, relevant content

Search query intent is still a very strong ranking signal, which is why Google specifically mentioned in their announcement that even slow-loading pages with high quality content can still rank well.

Continue prioritizing content marketing as one of the elements of your mobile marketing strategy, as content will always be king. It also helps to do keyword research using free tools like Google Trends and Google Keyword Planner to know which types of search queries your target market is using. Additionally, as mobile users are all for simplicity and speed, make it a point to keep a conversational tone in your web content.

4. Check your site’s usability

There are multiple ways to measure and evaluate your site’s page load speed and overall performance. You can leverage the following tools that Google is offering for free to get more detailed insights on your site’s usability:

  • Google Search Console – Its Mobile Usability Report tells you exactly which pages in your site have mobile usability issues, as well as providing you with resources on how to fix the problems found.
  • PageSpeed Insights – Uses Chrome UX Report to provide insights on your page’s performance and offers performance optimization suggestions.
  • Lighthouse – An automated tool for auditing the quality of web pages based on performance, accessibility, and other metrics

As we enter the golden age of mobile internet, it’s very likely that Google will focus much of their efforts on improving the overall mobile user experience. And with the impending implementation of their mobile-first index, expect more search engine algorithm changes that will further enforce mobile usability.

If you want to know more on how you can improve your website’s performance, or if you’re interested in working with our SEO experts, give us a call at 888-420-5115, or send us an email at [email protected].

Tags: , , , ,

Categorized in: ,

Featured Articles

February 1, 2018 | By: Ilfusion Team

How To Start an SEO Campaign in 6 Steps

Starting a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) campaign can be tricky for any digital marketer. How do you begin? What is the most important element to implement? How do you know if it’s working? Don’t be overwhelmed, though. Starting an SEO... view more

September 26, 2017 | By: Tinny

5 Signs You Need to Hire a Marketing Agency

Marketing is a crucial part of your business strategy. It’s what keeps the gears turning and the driving force of your company’s sales. For small businesses, marketing is important in getting the word out there that your company exists and... view more

September 21, 2017 | By: Tinny

Key Advantages of Video Marketing for Your Growing Business

There has been a rise in the use of mobile devices to access the internet, and there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon. In this era where most people thrive on living on the go, video marketing... view more

September 13, 2017 | By: Tinny

5 Things You Need to Know: Image Optimization for SEO

If you’re a company whose content strategy relies on images, or if your business blog is image-heavy, it’s high time for you to think about optimizing your images for SEO — if you haven’t done so already. While there isn’t... view more

August 2, 2017 | By: Tinny

Tips on How to Choose the Best Keywords for Your Website

When you have an SEO or PPC campaign, it all starts with one basic element: keyword research. Keywords are the driving force that enable web crawlers and indexers to find your page through the throngs of websites in the world-wide... view more

July 26, 2017 | By: Tinny

Top 3 Search Ranking Factors You Should Know About

Landing on the first page of Google’s search engine results is one of the ultimate marketing goals of many website owners. While Google is keeping mum on what exactly gets you to the top of their SERPs, there are factors... view more

June 28, 2017 | By: Tinny

The Importance of Social Media in SEO

Nowadays, social media has inarguably become an indispensable tool in any marketing strategy. SEO, of course, is also one of those tools that have evolved with the many trends and changes that has occurred through time. This leads marketers to... view more

April 27, 2017 | By: Tinny

5 Ways to Dominate Google’s Search Results in 2017

Here’s how to place your website at the top of search engine results. Creating a website that doesn’t rank well in Google’s search engine results page (SERP) doesn’t translate well to your overall business effort. In recent years, Google has... view more

July 2, 2015 | By: The Conductor

Let’s talk about “The Fold”

We hear it a lot; client feedback that is focused on what content is and is not “above the fold”. To be perfectly honest, this old newspaper term can be a cause of frustration when it comes to good user... view more

June 3, 2015 | By: The Doctor

The Turbit

This crazy ol’ world of ours is spinning faster and faster everyday. Not literally, as we would all be slung to our spacey-doom. I mean figuratively we are all moving more quickly and filling every moment with some bit of... view more

May 6, 2015 | By: Ilfusion Team

How Your Website Can Survive Mobilegeddon

Think your website is mobile friendly? Think again. Google’s new functionality changes have created a frantic need for websites to be optimized for mobile. Mobilegeddon is upon us, and your website could be at risk. See infographic below.

April 23, 2015 | By: El Jefe

Website Cost: A Day at the Ballpark

A question that I get on a regular basis (read: every day) is, “How much will my new website cost?”. To which I typically say something like, “Well, that varies based on the amount of work that’s required to complete... view more

April 7, 2015 | By: The Inventor

Are you a Webspammer?

SEO practices are very different today than how they were even just a few years ago. The number one key to ranking well in search engines today is to create unique quality content. First post it on your website or... view more

March 25, 2015 | By: Ilfusion Team

Social Media Happenings

Ilfusion loves to bring you news on the newest social media functions and trends. Recently, there have been three major happenings in the social media world. Meerkat, a new app that has risen to fame due to the 2015 music... view more

March 12, 2015 | By: The Conductor

The Big Picture

Whether you’re laser-focused on a specific project, or taking a comprehensive approach to your marketing efforts, one aspect doesn’t change: always look at the big picture. Companies often shop at least a few agencies when they’re considering engagement with an... view more