Website loading speed is more significant than ever when it comes to search rankings. Google Chrome is also now joining in to have it say into site load speeds. A recent announcement by Google Chrome pointed out their plans to introduce a Speed Badge that will encourage publishers to improve their website’s loading speeds. This is based on a contextual menu available with links in searches that will tell users about the site’s fast or slow loading speed before they click on it.

Before Click Warning for Users

With this new Speed Badge, Google intends to reward sites that load at a faster rate. This will also warn users before they click about slow loading of some sites. This will provide value to users where they would be able to find out before clicking about whether the target site will load fast or not.

However, there is no word from Google about how much of an impact this will have on search engine rankings. Although, Google has also made it very clear that page load speed is a big contributor in how a site gets ranked.

Google showed a glimpse of how the Slow Speed Badge could look like when it launches.

This also shows Google’s intent by rewarding faster loading sites through this badge. Users will be more inclined to skip slow loading badge sites and click on fast loading ones instead.

Why the Need for This Badge?

Google made it very clear that their only intent is to reward fast loading sites. Their official statement highlight that the web can do much better than how it is working currently. They want to help users understand any site’s loading speed by showing this badge right upfront in search results. This will also be rewarding for faster loading sites.

Fast loading site can receive a new form of positive feedback in shape of a green bar. Here is how it might look:

Some users might even not notice this badge. It is a very subtle badge but will play a vital role in the times to come. When talking objectively, this small green bar doesn’t even qualify for a full out reward.

Context Menu on Links

Another of Google’s suggestions asks publishers to use “Context Menu” on links. It is still not very clear whether this actually is a contextual menu on all links or it is only on Google’s search results. In many people’s view, it does sound much like a reference to Google’s search results. We will have to wait and find out what Google actually meant by this.

Understanding Google’s intent to reward faster loading sites, a slow loading tag will turn people away from clicking a website in search results. Users will opt for faster loading sites and abandon slow loading ones altogether. Now, we can see what Google is pointing to when they say rewarding faster loading sites.

Google Chrome Speed Badge Is Still Developing

Google also highlighted the fact that this proposal for Speed Badge is still being developed. Google may take a number of forms and they also plan to experiment with a few different options. This would provide them insight as to which option works out best and provides best value to their users.

There Will Be More Badges Coming

Google’s current plans include introduction of many other performance badges as well. However, there have been no examples and insights as to what badges might be coming though. Google did express their desire to define other badges for site quality experience. These signals might go beyond site speed indicators through this new launching badge.

How Does It Affect Your Websites?

Google’s recent announcement puts the ball in site publishers and webmaster’s court yet again. They will now feel the need to update their page load speeds even more. This indirect reward system from Google will come handy for faster loading sites and will be not such a good feature for slower loading speeds. Google will nail the analysis of page load speeds and accurate badges will go live on search results. However, it is still to the imagination as to how Google will incorporate this for non-search result-based websites.

It is important to know that this is not the first time Google has mentioned page load speed to be important. From the very advent of internet, faster loading pages and sites have been doing better than slow loading ones. A faster loading website is significant independent of how Google interprets it and when you throw in Google as the biggest search platform, this becomes ever more significant.

How Can We Help?

www.seo.com.pk is Pakistan’s pioneer Digital Marketing company. We have over a decade of experience providing leading Web Development and Digital Marketing services to our clients. We have certified web development experts who offer the best site load speeds for all business websites. Our website optimization makes your business websites load faster in all browsers and have a green loading speed indicator.

Our expert services also provide very useful optimization for all other search engine aspects. We help rank your websites at top search spots in Google and make the most from your target market. Whether it is this current page load speed badge or any to come in the future, we will provide perfect optimization for your business website making it have all the right badges and indicators for users and searchers.