Does Website Speed Affect the SEO results of your Website

Did you know every second counts when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO)? Most people realize website speed impacts a site’s user experience and its conversion rates but many may not realize the correlation between site speed and SEO.

After seeing how important page loading speeds were to users, Google added site speed to its search algorithm in 2010 and other search engines followed their lead in applying site speeds to its site rankings for both desktop and mobile devices.

How Speed Impacts Search Rankings

Data shows higher website speed leads to higher search rankings. In a study of one million Google search results, Backlinko found domains ranking in the highest position were 13% faster than domains ranking lower. Since it is clear site speed and page load times impact search rankings, reviewing your site to ensure peak website speed optimization.

Analyze Site Speed

Your site’s current performance is important to ensure website speed optimization. Testing your website on various desktop and mobile devices can help. In addition, several tools are available to help determine your website’s speed and fix any issues slowing down your site.

Pingdom GTMetrixGoogle PageSpeed Insights

• Pingdom
• GTMetrix
• Google PageSpeed Insights

Increase Site Speed

What is slowing down your site? Slow site speed can be caused by a number of issues. Factors which could be preventing website optimization include:

Internet Service Provider, Browser, Content Management System, Themes, Apps, plugins and widgets, Ads and Images.

• Internet Service Provider – As the saying goes, you get what your pay for. Lower priced hosting services may not have website speed optimization. Select a hosting service with a good reputation for providing quicker speeds.
• Browser – Browsers can perform differently and great performance on one doesn’t mean it will work well on another. Always test your site on all the well-known internet browsers.
• Content Management System – Outdated content management systems (CMS) can slow down your website. Ensure you have the latest version of the CMS as it is likely to be optimized for speed.
• Theme – The more complex your theme is, the slower the site speed. Use a simpler theme and rely on your content to draw visitors to your site.
• Apps, plugins and widgets – One plugin or app can decrease the site’s speed. Remove any apps, plugins or widgets serving no purpose. For those you do need, use them in moderation.
• Ads – Too many ads on your site can slow down a website. Don’t overuse ads on your site by using those giving you a good profit.
• Images – High-resolution images require a lot of data and can take a long time to load. Compress images to reduce the size to ensure images aren’t any larger than necessary. Use PNG format for graphics with lower than 16 colors and JPEG format for photos.