Page speed has long been a ranking factor. But did you know that it’s now the same for mobile browsing?

Speed is one of several factors that determines organic Google rankings and the Google Ads Quality Score. This is to ensure that users are getting the most relevant content at the fastest speeds possible.

It has traditionally not been a major consideration on mobile. That changed in July 2018, when Google announced that page speed will become a significant ranking factor for mobile searches.

This means that mobile pages receive the same treatment as desktop pages do. Namely, that slow loading will be ranked lower than competing pages that display faster.

Not only will the search rank suffer, but so will the associated Google Ads. This is because Google uses a Quality Score algorithm to determine how much to charge per ad click on its Search Network.

This algorithm determines how usefulness of the information on your page, but now it also measures how quickly it loads. If the page fails any or both of those criteria, it means paying more per click or not have your ads served at all.

Growing industry sentiment supports Google’s emphasis on page speed. It has been found that 53% of mobile site visits are abandoned if pages take longer than three seconds to load, while every 100-millisecond delay in website load time can reduce conversion rates by 7%.

Slow Internet and mobile networks may have been an issue in the past, but today’s connections are faster and more reliable than before. Google’s focus on page speeds seems to reinforce this, which means that a fast and responsive experience is not a nice thing to have, but a necessity.

The mobile domain

Users also demand speed and responsiveness from their mobile devices. If an app runs poorly, 90% of users will stop using it and move on to an alternative.

Performance is not just limited to how quickly an app or mobile website runs. There are other considerations that can negatively affect the user experience.

Battery usage is often closely tied with app performance. Half (49%) of millennials highlight battery drain as a big drawback, as it forces them to charge their device more often compared to other apps.

App data usage is another area of consideration, particularly for 37% of the same users. Even though mobile data plans are getting cheaper with more generous download allowances, high data usage can overshadow the usefulness and appeal of the app.

Although a user is more likely to uninstall an app because of low utility, 25% of users will delete because of lack of storage space. Many apps still try to pack in as many offline features as possible, but this makes the app larger, and thus, a more likely candidate for deletion once storage runs out.

Stand out from the rest

Whether it is desktop or mobile, web or app, it is clear that users want their digital experience to be fast, reliable, and responsive. Often it’s easier said than done, but with so much choice now available to users, failing to deliver on this promise means potentially losing your audience to the competition.

Find out how we can help you optimise your delivery pipeline and deliver a quality digital experience for your customers.