The Google Speed Update was a 2018 change that began using page speed as a ranking signal for mobile searches. Google said it affected only pages that delivered the slowest experience, and a small share of queries, and that relevant content could still rank well even if a page was slow. Today the idea lives on in Core Web Vitals and page experience signals. Check your own pages with our free website speed test.
Key takeaways
- The Speed Update was announced in January 2018 and applied to mobile search from July 2018.
- Page speed was already a ranking signal for desktop searches before that.
- It targeted the slowest pages and did not override relevance.
- Core Web Vitals and page experience signals built on the same idea later.
What was the Google Speed Update?
The Google Speed Update was an algorithm change that made page speed a ranking factor for mobile search results. Google announced it in January 2018 and rolled it out in July 2018. It used the speed at which a page loads for visitors, not a single tool’s score, and applied the same standard to all pages, whatever technology they used.
Which sites did the Speed Update affect?
Google said the update affected pages that delivered the slowest experience to users, and only a small percentage of queries. It also said the intent of the search query was still a strong signal, so a slow page with very relevant content could still rank well.
What replaced the Speed Update?
The Speed Update was followed by the page experience update. Google began rolling out page experience signals, including Core Web Vitals, for mobile search in 2021 and for desktop in early 2022. Core Web Vitals measure loading (LCP), responsiveness (INP) and visual stability (CLS). See our guide to the Core Web Vitals test.
What does it mean for your site today?
Speed matters as part of page experience, but content relevance matters most. The practical target is passing Core Web Vitals: LCP of 2.5 seconds or less, INP of 200 milliseconds or less and CLS of 0.1 or less (Google, web.dev). See how important page speed is for SEO.
How do you check whether your site is fast enough?
- Test your key pages on mobile with our free page speed checker.
- Check real-user Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console.
- Fix the biggest issue first, then test again.
See how to increase mobile page speed for the fixes with the biggest effect on mobile.
Frequently asked questions
When was the Google Speed Update?
Google announced it in January 2018 and applied it to mobile searches from July 2018.
Is page speed a ranking factor?
Yes, as one of many signals. Relevant, helpful content matters most.
Did the Speed Update affect desktop?
No. Speed was already used for desktop searches. The update brought it to mobile.
Is the Speed Update still active?
Its idea continues in the page experience signals and Core Web Vitals.
What is a good mobile speed today?
Pass Core Web Vitals on your key pages. A mobile PageSpeed score of 90 or above is a helpful guide. See what a good PageSpeed score is.
Conclusion
The Google Speed Update brought page speed into mobile ranking, and its idea now lives on in Core Web Vitals. Aim to pass them, keep your content relevant and test often. Start with our free website speed test and read our guide on how to improve website speed.
