Since Google introduced ‘page experience’ as a critical factor in determining your website search ranking, website speed and performance have become key components of any effective SEO strategy. In addition, regardless of search ranking, achieving and maintaining excellent website speed and performance ensures that a website visitor enjoys a better user experience and consequently is more likely to convert to a customer.
Google considers website performance scores when ranking search results.
Popular websites like CNN or the BBC will probably always continue to rank well on Google, despite less than impressive ‘page experience’ scores from Google. High-quality content and lots of recognition (i.e. back links) from other authoritative websites will still play a key role for most websites. However, over the last couple of years, we have noticed some more surprising websites appearing in the top spots for highly competitive and hard-to-reach search terms. One of the key things differentiating these ‘new kids on the block’ from their bigger and long-established rivals is website speed and performance.
Regardless of what Google makes of your website, a delay of a few seconds for your web page to load will have your prospective visitors voting with their mouse clicks, straight to your faster-loading competitor’s website. Even websites which start out life as fast and efficient can experience ever-increasing drag and delay, as new plugins, tracking and content are added over time.
Google favours websites that load quickly on mobiles and even amongst business-related websites half of all traffic is now coming from mobile devices. Customers are used to instant information and can become impatient when websites are slow, especially when they are using their mobiles to conduct business on the go. It doesn’t matter how customer friendly your website is, or how engaging the design is if visitors are driven away by the time it takes to load the page.
MMD has developed a range of tools and techniques for speeding up even the slowest of WordPress websites and we make it our mission to strip out every last bit of extraneous code and unnecessary bloat to reduce the loading times of your web pages. Not only will this mean your business will deliver an exceptional user experience, but Google will also favour you in search results as our developers create extremely fast, mobile-friendly, fully search-optimised websites.
Sounds expensive to fix? Far from it, in many cases, a few hours of work can make all the difference, so why don’t you get in touch today for a free no obligation performance report and recommendations?
Verbatim Telephone Answering Services approached MMD to optimise their website and search engine ranking by improving the overall customer user experience scores and increasing their discoverability within Google’s search results. Find out how we transformed a score barely registering over 30 (Described by google as poor) to ‘excellent’ (registering 95/100 for mobile and 98/100 for desktop)
Get in touch today for a free no obligation performance report and recommendations.
Every website we build, every plan we deliver is underpinned by
An obsession with speed and performance
A few seconds is all you have before your user becomes an ex-user. Slow loading times waste those seconds, ruin search rankings and damage your brand.
Realism about results and outcomes
Agencies can, and frequently do, promise the earth. As a client you want confidence and knowledge, you don’t need unsubstantiated bluster. We aim to be honest about the opportunities AND the risks.
A balance between user needs and business goals
If websites were people, some would be all me, me, me, others are so anxious to please they forget what matters to them. A website only works when it meets the aims of your business and the aims of your visitor.
A relentless attention to search results
If a website launches and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? In our opinion, undoubtedly yes – the sound of money being flushed away. Search engine optimisation is one crucial way to get yourself heard above the digital noise.
A joy in delivering simple over complex
Apple built its entire success on giving us less. Less buttons, less wires, less clutter. Revolutionary simplicity. Every time complex web design forces a user to stop and think, they will think about leaving to a competitor instead.
A constant quest for improvement
In our decades of experience working in digital, one thing has remained constant: unrelenting change. If you’re not regularly reviewing, analysing and updating your digital presence – you can be sure your competitors are and you’ll soon be left behind
We’re not a bean bags and jukebox sort of agency, we’re not all fluff and flamboyance and we know we need to work on bragging about our successes a bit more.
But to be honest, we’re a bit too busy obsessing about what’s the best copy to get that extra ad click, how many places in the google rankings a page speed improvement will make, and how many more enquiries a client website had compared with this time last year.
It’s true we always get excited when we start a new project but it’s no flash in the pan – we’re still there focused month on month, year on year creating, planning measuring, testing (and some more testing), bringing your business to life online and reaching customers your competitors don’t even know about.
"mmd is a reliable, trusted supplier to Kyocera. They produce consistently brilliant work, always meet deadlines and their communication is excellent"
Matt Trotter, Sales Lead Generation Manager, KYOCERA Document Solutions
