Speed Matters - Site Speed is an Important SEO Factor Now!

Google loves speed, and there's absolutely no doubt in it. Most of the searches made on Google, return the results within a second. And Google doesn't want to limit its speed only till the search result pages [SERPs], rather, it is now trying to give the best user experience by showing fast loading pages in its top results.
May be a few years back Google/Matt Cutts had a different opinion, when content and information was given prime importance in search engine ranking. But presently with similar content in hundred's of pages across the web, page loading speed has to be made an important SEO factor.
The official news...
In a recent interview with WebProNews, Google's Matt Cutts has given some insights on how site speed may soon be an important ranking factor:
"Historically, we haven't had to use it in our search rankings, but a lot of people within Google think that the web should be fast," says Cutts. "It should be a good experience, and so it's sort of fair to say that if you're a fast site, maybe you should get a little bit of a bonus. If you really have an awfully slow site, then maybe users don't want that as much."

Moreover Site Speed has been included as a new feature under "Google Labs" section in Google Webmaster Tools too:

Google Site Performance-Loading Speed

So anything new in SEO?
There are no additional SEO requirements due to this announcement, already loading speed is important to make the visitors happy, now it has been added as an important factor in search engines rankings.
1. Check your sites loading time at PingDom [quite accurate and recommended tool]
2. Other tools to check and optimize your blogs loading time.
3. Google itself is ready to help you to speed up the loading time - Google Speed and Helpful Tools [Check you Webmaster Tools account too - a must for everyone]
4. Also read this post [from OneCoolSite] on how you can optimize your site's loading speed.
5. Select templates with minimum graphics and javascript/css files.

Exactly when will Google update its algorithm?
May be Google has already included it, but Matt implied that it will be added to their algorithm in 2010.

Image credits: The Insider

Blog Admin : Divya Sai

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10 comments

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Danoxs

December 04, 2009 4:17 PM delete

Hi Divya.. I know this may be a little off-topic, but I need some help..

Since about 3 days SigMirror SWF files I uploaded are not working anymore (Files're still there, but when clicked, they just download, instead of being displayed).

I'm using FF 3.6b3, butI don't think that's the problem, beacause I can play on Newgrounds..

There SHOULD be a clock next to the "?" icon in my page, but nothing shows up. Neither the flash games, but smileys codes are working great so .js files are ok, too.

Please answer

Divya Sai

December 05, 2009 12:31 AM delete

Yeah there seems to be a problem with that file extension, anyways use mydatanest.com and use sigmirror only as a backup (i.e. upload your files at both these websites, and in case mydatanest goes down, then replace all the links on your website with those of sigmirror)

Reza@Blogging Guide

December 05, 2009 7:24 AM delete

Hi Divya, thanks for the links and I think my blog is load fast. It takes aabout 2.7 seconds with PingDom service. Don't you think it is great?

Sai @ Blogger Help

December 05, 2009 12:02 PM delete

Wow <3 seconds is really good, even a template without content, I just designed using based on minima is taking somthing like 5 - 5.5 seconds.

Anonymous

December 05, 2009 1:44 PM delete

@Danoxs

I am the admin of Sigmirror.com, and I just ran across this post. I think you are the same user that PMed me. I recently made some changes to the server that Sigmirror.com is hosted on to allow for further expansion, and speed up delivery of files. I inadvertently messed up some hotlinking in the process.

This has been fixed, and everything should be back to normal. Please let me know if you have any further issues.

December 05, 2009 2:43 PM delete

That's great...hope your problem has been solved Daniel

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April 13, 2010 9:38 AM delete

Great share . Very useful .D

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July 23, 2010 3:22 PM delete

Great post i was looking this kind of information. Please continue writing on these kind of topics.

Mohd Ridhwan

August 03, 2010 10:09 PM delete

Nice post..Thanks

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