As mobile usage continues to rise, Google has announced that page speed will be a powerful ranking signal for mobile search. It shouldn’t surprise most SEO professionals, as Google has also started to roll out the mobile index, which puts mobile first in its search algorithms.
Not only is page speed crucial for user experience, but pages that take a long time give higher bounce rates and will negatively impact conversion rates. With Google’s mobile-first approach, page speed could become a more prominent signal in determining search rankings.
So, how can you prepare for the mobile index and improve your page speed? Here are five steps to take:
Provide a Great Content Experience
A great content experience is key to getting ready for the mobile index. It means ensuring high-quality content that satisfies user intent and caters to all stages of the user journey. And it includes creating relevant, engaging content and providing value to your audience. Additionally, it’s crucial to ensure using optimized content for all devices and platforms, including mobile, desktop, and tablet.
Make Your Site Super Fast
Making sure your pages load as quickly as possible is essential for providing a good user experience. Google recommends that pages should load within one to two seconds. To improve your page speed, you can optimize images, minify code, use a content delivery network (CDN), and reduce the number of redirects on your site. Additionally, you can use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to analyze your site’s speed and identify areas for improvement.
Consider Using AMP
While AMP isn’t a ranking factor right now, it could be in the future. AMP is a Google-backed project that allows publishers to create fast-loading pages for mobile devices. AMP pages load extremely fast, improving user experience and potentially increasing conversions. AMP is not a ranking signal. It may be wise to consider it as it could help you in the future.
The other way is to change your hosting to hosting on the fast back-bone network Google Cloud Platform, which gives you similar response times as AMP if the site has the proper technical solution. Use a partner familiar with the setup for a fast mobile user experience.
Check Your Mobile-Friendliness
It’s essential to make sure that all your pages are mobile-friendly. Always use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to check your mobile page speed and identify any issues. Additionally, you can use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check if your pages are mobile-friendly. You can improve your page speed and user experience by fixing any mobile-related issues.
Have a Strong Call to Action
While this falls out of SEO a little bit, it’s still essential to have a solid call to action on your site. It means ensuring users can find the CTA quickly and efficiently when they arrive on your landing page. And it includes placing the CTA in a prominent location, making sure it stands out and making sure it’s clear what the user should do next.
In conclusion, page speed is becoming an increasingly important factor in Google’s mobile search rankings, and it’s crucial to improve your site’s speed and user experience. By following the tips outlined above, you can prepare for the mobile index and potentially see an improvement in your search visibility. Additionally, having a solid call to action can improve your conversion rate and increase the chances of users taking the next step.
Testing the impact of mobile page speed on search engine visibility and performance can be challenging, but one potential solution is to set up an A/B test with two identical pages on the same domain with similar content and keywords. By measuring the outcomes of adding heavy scripts to one page and comparing it to the other, you can gauge the impact of page speed on your search rankings.
