The changing digital landscape continues to encourage Google to bring about changes. This year, they’ve updated their algorithms to include the Page Experience, which is an element that will enormously improve and impact search rankings—depending on how businesses choose to make their moves.
Such an update has likely been designed to revolutionize how speed is evaluated, particularly when it comes to mobile pages. It also sets the bath for better and more efficient algorithms in the future, thereby affecting everyone’s ranking bottom line.
Speed is indeed a contributing factor in searches, but it’s never been considered a requirement for rankings—until recently. The only thing left to do is to simply adjust, and we’ve gathered some of the best ways you can do so:
1 – Invest in Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
An accelerated Mobile Page, or AMP, essentially means the source code of your website. This is tasked with pointing out your standard HTML page over the stripped-down version of the same page, which is your hosted AMP page. AMPs are deemed to be scarce, however, thereby enabling users to load them faster than the usual pages.
Investing in an AMP allows you to create incredibly fast mobile experiences for your users, but keep in mind that you will need to loosen your control over page design. But if speed is something you wish to focus on to accommodate the algorithm changes, AMP is worth trying.
2 – Prioritise intent
Users on search engines vary, all depending on the device they use. Desktop searches are different from mobile queries—the latter plays host to shorter queries, for instance. However, it’s important to remember that the rise of voice search has paved the way for conversational searches, which is why it’s important to always look at user intent.
How, when, and why do your intended audiences search? More often than not, they do so out of whim. If they get hungry on the road, they’ll type in “fast food places near me”. A marketer on their way to a client meeting will want to search up on the company real quick, typing in the organisation’s name in the search box. Simply put, you’ll want your page to appear—and lightning quick.
3 – Consider using various tools to diagnose your speed time
If you haven’t been leveraging various tools and platforms just yet, now is the time. You’ll want to be able to diagnose your mobile speed and usability issues quickly, as doing so allows you to identify any crawl errors that could be hindering your success. Other tools also allow you to test how well-optimized your web pages are, complete with a diagnosis of all potential problems. Armed with such knowledge, you’ll be able to create a solid blueprint for improvement and ultimately, success.
The Bottom Line
Google’s new page speed update may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. You’ll only need to further observe and optimise your pages, ensuring that all speed and load time requirements are met—and not just when it comes to relevance, value, and keyword. You’ll want to make the AMP switch as well, along with focusing on user intent and trusting in various tools. Multiplying your efforts is necessary for survival—but they shouldn’t cripple you.
For the best search engine optimization services in Australia, Co Media has you covered. We are a digital agency offering digital services to businesses of various sizes and industries, all ensuring that they maximise their online footprint. Allow us to propel you towards success—reach out today.
