How Does Page Speed Really Affect SEO?

How quickly does your website load? If you think waiting around for a slow site to load is annoying or not worth your time, you’re thinking like the algorithm does. A recent episode of SEO Mythbusting does a great job of showing the importance of page speed.

As I’ve discussed in the past, page speed is one of many ranking factors for Google search. It’s not the only factor, nor is it the most important. Serving up relevant content is Google’s primary driver. However, a site that loads quickly relieves frustration for users – and the algorithm favors sites that users find easy to use.

If you’re looking to speed up your site’s load time, pay attention to your site’s size. 500KB is a recommended size for most sites. Naturally, smaller sites will load faster. Fewer kilobytes will give you an advantage. It is crucial to keep in mind that loading time will vary depending upon a user’s devices and connection. Do not just test for speed on your own devices – instead, monitor the types of devices accessing your site and optimize accordingly. To conduct accurate tests, consider buying the most frequently used device you see from your analytics to understand better how users find and experience your site.

If you’re a small business looking to improve your website and boost your SEO impact, ASTRALCOM can help. Reach out today.