Google Says Spped Matters In The Algo.

[A Niche SEO]

Back in June of 09 Google began to discuss the importance of slow loading pages. Well, they think that this matters so much it is now included speed as an algo factor. For more on this go here Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: Using site speed in web search ranking

 

[webcreationuk]

Yes indeed, nowadays Google is improving it's algorithm and new things will matter in rankings. However, this is quite natural, I mean, people do not like slow loading pages, why would a SE like one like this?

 

[surreypcsupport]

Page load times have been a factor in Google's algorithm for a while now.

 

[zbastian_19]

Thanks for the info. as expected on Google... :treaten:

 

[A Niche SEO]

Yep, this isn't your mommas SEO anymore. SEO now requires more than changing tags and getting links. This should be interesting.

 

[MarkAse]

It makes sense, instead of focusing on parts of the on-page site that can easily be manipulated, site load times are important for the user experience.

 

[lukewildmanuk]

Yes, but it is not a massive factor, the only way it will have any negative affect on rankings is if the page load time is 8 or more seconds! and if your web site takes 8 seconds to load I would seriously think about sorting it out anyway not just for rankings but users!!

 

[Mike22]

the only way it will have any negative affect on rankings is if the page load time is 8 or more seconds!

Where did you get this figure from, is there a link to a source confirming this "8 second" rule.

I'm sure its not a highly weighted factor, in fact there are over 200 factors that make up the Google search engine algorithm, speed is only one of these factors (and possibly a low weighted one.. for now)


mattcutts.com/blog/site-speed/

Google is incorporating site speed as one of the over 200 signals that we use in determining search rankings.

 

[webcreationuk]

More than 8 seconds it's an eternity, I believe somewhere under 4 seconds it's great.

 

[a2hosting]

It is just a part of their algorithm that includes over 200 site factors. Yes it matters, but content is still king.

 

[Jannystok]

Yes, but it is not a massive factor, the only way it will have any negative affect on rankings is if the page load time is 8 or more seconds! and if your web site takes 8 seconds to load I would seriously think about sorting it out anyway not just for rankings but users!!

I kinda made an experiment - created 3 pretty much identical sites with set 0, 5 and 10 seconds downloading speed. The one with 0 was better ranked than the one with 10, however, the difference was not so big (experiment didn't take that much time tho, so it's not very accurate), it's just another ranging factor, not the key one.

 

[A Niche SEO]

I recently discovered this video on Google's Webmaster Central Blog. It explains a few steps to quicken the pace of your website and reason why!

Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: You and site performance, sitting in a tree...

 

[haljordan]

It's just another one of the 200+ factors in the algo. Probably well down the list as far as importance goes.

 

[A Niche SEO]

Here is a helpful video from Google on the subject.

Official Google Webmaster Central Blog: You and site performance, sitting in a tree...