Page speed is one of the metrics a search engine uses to determine how webpages are ranked on search results. Webpages that load fast will get a better ranking than those that take longer. Page speed optimization is one of the things national and local SEO agencies offer. The service reduces the time a webpage takes to load fully. Here’s an overview of how page speed can impact search rankings and how to improve it:
What Is Page Speed in Search Engine Optimization?
Page speed refers to the time it takes to load all content on a page. Many factors affect the time a page takes to load. The top factors determining page speed are file sizes, image compression, and server reliability. SEO agencies and strategists make three distinctions for measuring page speed: TTFB, Fully Loaded Page, and First Contentful Paint.
∙ TTFB (Time to First Byte): This distinction measures how long the page takes to load. An example is the white screen that appears before the page loads.
∙ Fully Loaded Page: This metric measures how long it takes for all page elements to load. The distinction is the most direct way to measure the speed of a webpage.
∙ First Contentful Paint: This distinction measures how long it takes to load enough webpage resources that a user can read.
A webpage can have a fully loaded page speed of over ten seconds, but the contentful paint speed can be three seconds. Users can interact and learn about the page within the first meaningful/contentful paint speed. You can leverage page optimization services from national and local SEO companies to reduce how long your pages take to load. SEO strategists can also help you optimize site speed, which involves all pages on your website.
How Does Page Speed Impact Search Ranking?
Page speed can impact your position on search engine result pages. For your site to appear on the first page of results, it must have one of the fastest loading speeds. Sites that load slowly are relegated to the latter pages. If you want to boost your ranking on search engines, consider optimizing page speed. Here’s how page speed impacts your search rankings:
1. User Experience
A fast-loading webpage provides a better user experience (UX) than one that’s slow. Some users may wait for the first page to load, but they may not wait for all pages. Page speed optimization improves navigation and overall user experience. Visitors can spend more time on your pages, which indicates they found something valuable. Search engines favor sites with better UX, so you can enjoy higher search ranking if your site and pages load fast.
2. Bounce Rate
Bouncing occurs when a user visits your website/webpage from the search results and leaves almost instantly. Internet users want pages that load fast, so people can bounce if your site and page speed metrics are low.
Search engines won’t continue to rank a site at the top positions if everyone leaves immediately after visiting. You must seek to achieve the fastest loading speeds. Optimizing can help you reduce bounce rates and improve search ranking.
How Can I Improve Page Speed for My Website?
SEO strategists can help you tweak various aspects to improve page speed. One popular option includes compressing images and other files. SEO strategists also streamline communication between your server and site and minify the codes (HTML, CSS, and JavaScript). Other popular ways to improve page speed include using a content delivery network (CDN) and enabling browser caching. You can also reduce the number of plugins.
Working with a reputable SEO agency is one of the best ways to improve your page speed. SEO strategists know what slows down your webpages and how to fix them. You can work with an SEO agency that can help you improve your overall ranking. Leading SEO companies also audit your pages to identify areas that need improvement. The goal is to design pages that load fast without sacrificing your features and customer experience.
Working With a Local SEO Agency
A local SEO company can help you design highly attractive websites that target specific people and markets. You can optimize your site for a demographic or geographical location. Understanding the target’s needs is one of the steps required to optimize pages and the browsing experience. Choose long-serving SEO companies with happy references and a history of working with brands that perform highly on Google.
