Page speed has always been a priority to maintain search visibility, but before Google’s latest Speed update[1], this was something predominantly associated with desktop sites.
Now that mobile sites are also being ranked on their page loading times, it is no surprise that websites need to be up to speed to avoid decreasing search ranking.
In today’s competitive, ever-changing marketplaces, establishing a great online presence is clearly of utmost importance. However, our report[2] recently found that 87% of the UK’s top online retail brands alone are risking a significant drop in their visibility by neglecting mobile site performance; rating as ‘poor’ in terms of mobile site speed. Google’s own research supports this by revealing the average site takes five times[3] longer than the ideal 3-second timeframe to load.
These slower sites[4] notoriously see increases in bounce rates, as well as lower online visibility and search engine ranking.
So what can you do to rectify this issue and bolster a websites SEO?
Research suggests the key to addressing the above issues and adhering to the latest speed update, is by focusing specifically on the mobile site[5] user journey and eliminating any potential pitfalls. By eradicating unnecessary desktop elements on mobile sites and specifically focusing on adapting material for smart phones, you can expect to boost page speed, online visibility and meet Google’s revised website requirements.
With this in mind, let’s explore how you can adapt to Google’s most recent speed update.
Lazy loading
A quick and effective way to improve page speed is by adopting ‘lazy loading’. By only showing images ‘below the page fold’ when a user scrolls to view them, as