{"id":4740,"date":"2019-04-10T10:05:59","date_gmt":"2019-04-10T17:05:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adprosmarketing.com\/?p=4740"},"modified":"2019-09-09T09:51:29","modified_gmt":"2019-09-09T16:51:29","slug":"the-mobile-speed-algorithm-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adprosmarketing.com\/the-mobile-speed-algorithm-update\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mobile Speed Algorithm Update"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Mobile Speed Algorithm Update implemented in July 2018 has been dubbed \u201cthe speed update\u201d because it punishes websites whose mobile versions load slowly. We\u2019ve known for a while that Google likes speed<\/a>, but prior to the update, the search engine only rated sites based on their desktop speed. Now, mobile speed is a factor in the algorithm as well.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Google knows that for web users, the Internet is all about convenience, and convenient equals fast. Site visitors have less patience today than ever before, and a slow loading site is doomed to abandonment. <\/b>In short, users have come to expect speed; this Google algorithm update is simply a reflection of this new reality. <\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Google says it won\u2019t, well at least not that much. In their own words, the company says this algorithm update will \u201conly affect pages that deliver the slowest experience to users and will only affect a small percentage of queries.\u201d<\/p>\n Still, it\u2019s now a part of the overall Google algorithm, and you can bet that this is only the beginning. Our advice? Ensure your mobile site is up to snuff now before the penalty for slow-loading mobile is harsher.<\/p>\n If content is king, then mobile is its master. More and more searches are being performed on a phone rather than a desktop computer, and it\u2019s up to web developers to keep up with this growing trend. If your site isn\u2019t mobile-optimized, it\u2019s time to get on the mobile train\u2014now! <\/b><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Some reports say<\/a> that up to 70% of all searches are now performed on mobile devices. This should come as no surprise. Savvy mobile app developers have made it possible to do nearly anything you want online without having to dust off the old laptop. We\u2019ve become increasingly reliant on smartphones, and there\u2019s no going back.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n At the end of the day, mobile optimization is really about your users too, not just the search engines. <\/b>When your site is mobile-friendly, visitors will stay on your pages longer and your conversions will increase, whether that means downloads, clicks, or sales.\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n Optimizing your site for mobile makes it user-friendly, no matter what device your visitors are using.\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n More and more Google algorithm updates are rewarding sites that are optimized for mobile and punishing those that aren\u2019t. Google even has their own tool for assessing a site\u2019s mobile-friendliness. <\/b><\/p>\n The signs are all there\u2014it\u2019s time to optimize for mobile!<\/p>\n Before you do anything else, you need to determine if you have a solid mobile site to work with.<\/p>\n If your visitors are still accessing your desktop version from their smartphones, then you have a problem.<\/p>\n You need a mobile version suited for mobile searches and ASAP. Even if you have a separate url for your mobile site or are using dynamic serving, you\u2019re behind the times.<\/p>\n That brings us to our next point\u2014the need for responsive web design.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Mobile optimization technology has come along way. You no longer need to have separate urls for your desktop and mobile sites.<\/p>\n Nor do you need to overhaul your content for every new device that comes along.<\/p>\n Thanks to responsive design, you can have a single url and still deliver customized content to users depending on the device they\u2019re using.<\/p>\n Plus, with responsive design, you eliminate redirects that cause sites to lag.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n When optimizing for mobile, don\u2019t take it from us\u2014listen to Google. Just head over to the search engine\u2019s signature mobile friendly test and type in your url to get instant results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If your site is easy to access and use on a mobile device, then you\u2019ll get the green light from Google:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n The test will also alert you to any problems with page loading, so you can take care of those tout suite.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Google recommends that a mobile website load in less than a second.<\/p>\n That\u2019s less time than it took you to read that last sentence.<\/p>\n To be this<\/i> lightening fast, your mobile site is going to need some (read: a lot of) help.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The recent mobile speed update is a clear sign that Google is punishing sites with slow mobile versions.<\/p>\n But how do you increase your speed? There are several different things you can try to ensure your mobile site loads quickly and is user friendly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Use PageSpeed Insights<\/a> to see where you stand before you start making changes to increase your speed on mobile devices. You\u2019ll get a speed score as well as recommendations for improving this score. These recommendations can be found in the \u201cOpportunities\u201d section: <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Not many visitors like pop-ups, but Google is a little more forgiving.<\/p>\n Although they punish sites for using what they call \u201cintrusive interstitial<\/a>\u201d pop-ups, they\u2019ll allow others to slide by without penalty.<\/p>\n Still, pop-ups can slow your site down, so it\u2019s best to use them minimally if you have to use them at all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With near-complete smartphone saturation, we can only expect that Google will continue to update their algorithms with more mobile-centric factors.<\/p>\nWhy Did Google Roll It Out?<\/b><\/h2>\n
How Will the Mobile Speed Algorithm Update Affect Rankings?<\/b> <\/span><\/h2>\n
The Importance of Mobile Optimization<\/b><\/h2>\n
Percentage of Mobile Searches Is Through the Roof<\/b><\/h2>\n
Mobile Optimization Keeps Users Happy<\/b><\/h2>\n
How to Optimize for Mobile<\/b><\/h2>\n
<\/b><\/h2>\n
Is Your Site Mobile?<\/b><\/h2>\n
Implement Responsive Design<\/b><\/h2>\n
Use Google\u2019s Mobile-Friendly Test<\/b><\/h2>\n
Tips for Increasing Speed and Getting Ahead of the Google Algorithm Update<\/b><\/h2>\n
Test Your Speed<\/b><\/h2>\n
Eliminate (or Minimize) Pop-Ups<\/b><\/h2>\n
Expect More Mobile Algorithm Updates\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n