SEM News: Google Testing A Red “Slow” Label In The Search Results For Slower Sites

Last Updated on 30 Apr 2023 by SEO Manager

In 2010, Google baked in page speed as a ranking factor into the search

Google is testing a new label that will appear next to search results for websites that load slowly. The label will be a red “slow” icon, and it will appear next to the website’s URL in the search results.

Google is testing the label in an effort to improve the user experience for searchers. When a searcher clicks on a link to a slow website, they may have to wait a long time for the website to load. This can be frustrating for searchers, and it can also lead them to abandon the website altogether.

The red “slow” label is designed to warn searchers about slow websites before they click on the link. This will give searchers a chance to decide whether they want to wait for the website to load or whether they want to click on a different link.

Google is still testing the red “slow” label, and it is not clear when it will be rolled out to all users. However, if the label is successful, it could be a major step forward in improving the user experience for searchers.

Red Slow Deactivated in 2019

Google deactivated the red slow icon in 2019. The icon was used to indicate that a website was loading slowly, but it was found to be confusing and ineffective.

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Google has since introduced a number of other features to improve the user experience for searchers, such as page experience signals and lighthouse audits. These features allow Google to assess the quality of a website’s user experience, and they are used to rank websites in the search results.

If you are a website owner, you can improve your website’s ranking in Google by making sure that it is fast, mobile-friendly, and secure. You can also use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool to get feedback on your website’s performance.

Here are some tips for website owners who want to improve their website’s loading speed:

  • Optimize your images: Images can be a major factor in slowing down your website. Make sure to optimize your images for the web by using a tool like TinyPNG or Kraken.
  • Minify your CSS and JavaScript: Minifying your CSS and JavaScript files can help to reduce their file size and improve your website’s loading speed.
  • Use a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN is a network of servers that deliver your website’s content to users from the server that is closest to them. This can help to improve your website’s loading speed for users around the world.
  • Move your website to a faster host: If your website is hosted on a slow host, moving it to a faster host can make a big difference in its loading speed.
  • Test your website’s loading speed: There are a number of tools that you can use to test your website’s loading speed. Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool is a good place to start.

By following these tips, you can improve your website’s loading speed and make it more user-friendly for searchers.

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first published: 2015-02-24 14:34:24