Pondering the New Google Speed Ranking Factor’s Ambiguity
No one is exactly sure about how Google’s site speed factor will exactly affect a specific website’s search rankings, nor is anyone sure about how Google’s site speed factoring will change in the future. There is some speculation that Google’s recent move is part of bigger plan to “warm-up” website owners to further prioritize faster site speeds. It’s difficult to speculate as currently Google will even recommend getting rid of its own Google Analytics to improve site speed on a page!
Dotcom-Monitor.com was quoted in a Dec. 4, 2009 article on CBSnews.com that in some instances especially large e-tailers may find themselves punished if Google added site speed to the search result algorithm. That remains to be seen, however, what is clear is that e-tailers and everyone else involved in maintaining search relevance is paying more attention to site speed relative to search rankings and monitoring for site speed.
Even with the unclear effects of Google’s site speed factor, there are things you can do to learn more about your site’s performance and to keep one step ahead of the Google site speed issue.
Step 1: Looking Under the Hood of Your Site
It may seem a daunting task to quantify how fast your site performs or to uncover what’s slowing down your web site. It’s certainly a deep topic – however there are many great tools to help get you started. Two tools we’ve used at Dotcom-Monitor assist in developing our own web presence are Yahoo’s YSlow and Google’s Page Speed. Each gives you a good breakdown of what comprises your page and tips for changing page composition to make the overall download faster. Google’s own Webmaster Central listed other tools in addition to these two when they announced the speed factor.
Step 2: Site Speed Monitoring
Once you’ve prepared your site to run at a speed that works for you and your customers, how do you make sure it stays that way?
Virtually every large e-tailer is already conducting active, externally-based site speed monitoring. For these large e-tailers adding site speed to the discussion around Google search rankings is merely another data point in a wider discussion about uptime, performance, — and now search rankings. However, for some mid-market and smaller online stores adding active external monitoring to ensure performance and uptime is a new area. The fact that a factor in SEO now relates to site speed adds uncertainty about how to utilize active, external monitoring to ensure website uptime, performance, search rankings – and a good online reputation and revenues.
Specific and Comprehensive Site Speed Monitoring Solutions
The following active, external monitoring services at www.Dotcom-Monitor.com all address the need to maintain a 24/7 monitoring of the functionality and performance of websites which takes into account site speed. When site speed affects performance and a user’s experience in a way that impact revenues Dotcom-Monitor.com automatically sends alerts and initiates diagnostic processes. Owners of the monitored website can ensure they maintain a website that users will use and address any site speed issues quickly, so that slow downs have minimal affects on their online reputation, revenues – and now search rankings.
Dotcom-Monitor Tracks Site Performance
Dotcom-Monitor offers services that can help you keep lookout on your site’s performance: www.Dotcom-Monitor.com.
Also, be sure to check out our Free Instant Website Speed Test.
