The #1 SEO Factor in 2021
While I sometimes wish that Search Engine Optimization was a static factor and never changed, the reality is that Google and other search engines are constantly updating their algorithms. As the world around us changes (think about the advent of mobile-friendly websites!) and customer behaviors shift, it is actually a benefit to your search experience that the factors affecting SEO adjust to match over time.
I wrote about the Google algorithm changes in an earlier blog post, and as this starts to roll out, it’s becoming more clear that there is one factor this search engine giant is paying attention to more than anything else:
Overall Site Speed
This makes sense for a lot of reasons. Consumers are likely to navigate away from any website that loads slowly, even if it is loading a positive user experience when it does come up. As mobile usage continues to rise around the world, pages that load quickly on data OR Wi-fi are a must-have for any business. And as websites are optimized for SEO, this will include changes such as image optimization and content creation.
There are a number of ways to test if your website is loading quickly:
1) Run a simple test yourself.
Use a desktop, laptop, and phone to load your website and navigate to different pages. Use both Wi-fi and data on mobile devices. Are pages loading quickly? Does the main homepage content jump up right away, or do you have to wait awhile? Does the site load as quickly on mobile data as on a desktop hard-wired to an internet connection? If not, it’s time to make some changes!
2) Use online Speed Tests.
There are several different resources to test your website’s speed. Two of my favorites are Google PageSpeed Insights and Pingdom. Neither one is foolproof, and depending on your website platform, you may get different results, but both can show you potential choke-points in your website that affect your load speed and SEO rankings.
3) Ask someone else to test it.
If you have an iPhone, get an Android user to test the website (and vise versa). Ask a few people to navigate all around your site using their data or internet connection, and ask them to note if any pages load slowly. Remember that a huge variety of devices with varying levels of connectivity will be accessing your website (or at least that’s the goal!), so more data points will only help in your endeavors!
Ensuring that your website loads quickly can be a simple change that makes a world of difference. Run a few tests, and if you have questions about the results, let me know!
