The web has been littered with “get fast quick” articles following Google’s recent announcement that site speed can affect page ranking. Web site performance is suddenly a KPI for many businesses.
What’s disappointing about this sudden need for speed is that it’s not driven by businesses looking to please their customers, or improve the web, it’s driven entirely by businesses hoping to rank high in Google. The thing is that Google care about speed because Google care about users. It’s right in their 10 principles.
I’d love to see what would happen if Google explicitly added metrics like customer happiness, or website usability to their page rank algorithm. “Quick Johnny, Ring Jakob Nielsen, we’re in all kinds of trouble.”
Speeding up your site specifically for Google bots is short-sighted; it’s missing the point. Principle #1: Focus on the user and all else will follow.
5 Comments
I agree - what many of them miss is that site speed should have been a consideration in optimising their conversion rate long before this news broke.
In any case Google have stated that speed is only going to be another signal in their (200 signal) algorithm, and is only likely to affect 1% of sites.
That said, they are using their weight to change the web for the better, and you have to applaud that.
Posted by Paul Anthony at 12:02 pm on 30 April, 2010.
Any change driven by Google ranking will end up with new gaming techniques. This change will result in sites designed to load fast in the eyes of Google but be of less benefit to a human using the site. Instead of focusing on speeding it up for users you will focus on speeding it up for Google. It isn’t the same thing.
As Des says; Principle #1: Focus on the user and all else will follow.
Google is not a proxy to user happiness.
Posted by Paul M. Watson at 12:14 pm on 30 April, 2010.
I not quite sure where Des is coming from on this one. Everyone that I’ve ever talked to who is even vaguely serious about running an online business has always been interested in render time. Google’s inclusion in it search ranking just make it more talked about right now. Just like anytime Google do anything people talk about it. But seriously is there any web business owner that was happy about a 10 second load time?
Posted by Caelen at 1:31 pm on 1 May, 2010.
Hey Caelen,
This blog post is a gag based on the knee jerk reaction of many web site owners, whether it’s on Hacker News, or Reddit, or anywhere suddenly taking an interest in “Top 10 tips to speed up your website”.
Obviously I’ve over stated it , to make the gag funnier. But my underlying point is basically “Do it for your customers, not for Google”.
Cheers for reading,
Des
Posted by Des at 3:37 pm on 5 May, 2010.
The point is, ladies and gentlemen, that speed- for lack of a better word - is good. Speed is right. Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. And speed-you mark my words- will not only save Teldar Paper but also that other malfunctioning corporation we called the USA. Thank you.
Posted by niall larkin at 2:52 am on 14 May, 2010.