Getting yet another new website

[rth_discos]

OK - I'm officially confused with Google Page Speed (and in fact, don't actually trust it!)

However, I ran them through PageSpeed which actually ranks them as poor!!!!! Yes on both desktop and mobile (which is my main source of traffic nowadays)...Google shows a big red speed ranking!

Anyone know how much this actual metric relates to SERPS?

I don't 'trust' Google Page Speed either.

It doesn't seem to base its results on the actual loading time - more a load of metrics that you get marked down on if you don't 'pass'.

I've seen some very fast loading sites with poor scores on PageSpeed, because they hadn't done certain things. And some slow sites score well as they're done everything that was required, yet still had a lot of media and content on the website.

However, as for more much the metric relates to SERPS - well, Page Speed is owned by Google, and the search engine is Google. So to a degree, we can only assume that PageSpeed is based on the method Google uses to determine how fast your website loads.

But the loading time of a website is only a very small ranking factor. Getting PageSpeed to 100 won't shoot you up the list. What's more likely is a poor PageSpeed result, and a genuinely slow loading website, will get visitors hitting the 'back' button quickly, returning to the search results. Google notices that, and dislikes high bounce rates (it suggests the content wasn't relevant to the search result), so that will see you plummet.

Get that bounce rate down, and that will help your ranking - along with all of the other many factors Google takes in to consideration when deciding where to rank your website.

[Marc J]

I'm in the middle of moving hosting providers (eek! It's by scary moving from a provider you've been with for the past 5 years).
However, the sites I've moved so far are lightning quick in the browser. It's a noticeable change! The page load is literally instant (including on a mobile with a 3G connection).

However, I ran them through PageSpeed which actually ranks them as poor!!!!! Yes on both desktop and mobile (which is my main source of traffic nowadays)...Google shows a big red speed ranking!

Apparently I need to turn on compression (done!), enable cacheing (done!) and optimise everything (done!), and yet those sites rank lower in PageSpeed than my old provider?

Anyone know how much this actual metric relates to SERPS?

Not wanting to hijack Benny's thread, there's a discussion on this and other tools here: Test tools for Websites - post them here!

As per the title, Google Page Speed Insights is to give you an understanding of what may be slowing your site down, or what may be improved upon. It's really only the "reduce server response time" which you, or any visitor, would notice in a real world test of page loading times. Everything else (caching, minifying, compression etc.) would make little measurable difference to anyone visiting the site, unless they were extreme examples. There are other tests (see the above link) which are better if page load times alone are what you're targeting. Google announced way back in 2010 that load times would be a factor in ranking, how much so is anyone's guess.

That said, a page with a Google Page Speed score of 20 is likely to load slower that a page with a score of 80. It's an indication and highlights things you may want to look at to improve the visitor's experience.

It doesn't seem to base its results on the actual loading time - more a load of metrics that you get marked down on if you don't 'pass'.

I've seen some very fast loading sites with poor scores on PageSpeed, because they hadn't done certain things. And some slow sites score well as they're done everything that was required, yet still had a lot of media and content on the website.

Exactly

However, as for more much the metric relates to SERPS - well, Page Speed is owned by Google, and the search engine is Google. So to a degree, we can only assume that PageSpeed is based on the method Google uses to determine how fast your website loads.

But the loading time of a website is only a very small ranking factor. Getting PageSpeed to 100 won't shoot you up the list. What's more likely is a poor PageSpeed result, and a genuinely slow loading website, will get visitors hitting the 'back' button quickly, returning to the search results. Google notices that, and dislikes high bounce rates (it suggests the content wasn't relevant to the search result), so that will see you plummet.

Get that bounce rate down, and that will help your ranking - along with all of the other many factors Google takes in to consideration when deciding where to rank your website.

Agreed. There are loads of factors in SEO, ignore any of them at your peril

[Benny Smyth]

Not wanting to hijack Benny's thread, there's a discussion on this and other tools here: Test tools for Websites - post them here!

Its still reasonably on topic, so crack on, I say!

With regards to my site, it's done for the most part. The responsive needs to be done and I need to add content to the blog section (plus the pics on the testimonials are doing something odd which needs fixing).

Basically everything I can do at this point is done. It's back to the developer now to fix a few things, then I can finish adding content.

One thing I have liked though - and I know this'll sound egotistical, but I did smile when I realised that while you can still tell the difference between the pro pics and my pics, there isn't much in it anymore. Apparently a good website makes my pics look better!

[yourdj]

there isn't much in it anymore.

Keep it up Benny, you are starting to make me look humble.

[Benny Smyth]

Right...home stretch!

The website is petty much there. From my web guy's point of view, he just needs to add the social media icons to the footer of the Blog pages and remedy an issue where instead of opening hyperlinks in a new tab when requested, it just opens in the same window. Beyond that, he's currently transferring my domain names which will apparently take a few days. Once that's done, it goes live!

From a copy and photos perspective, it's all done. I had a copywriter look over the site and I've implemented the tweaks that she has suggested (although I'm proud to say that these were mostly grammatical errors over poor content...wait...should I be proud of poor spelling and grammar? You know what I mean!).

I've shown this website to a few folk and with some suggested tweaks (which my web guy and I have implemented), it has gained positive reactions. I'm actually excited to get this launched, and then go head first into getting some expert help with the SEO.

So here is the final product. I thought I'd put this here just in case that anyone has any more thoughts.

[Imagine]

Right...home stretch!

The website is petty much there. From my web guy's point of view, he just needs to add the social media icons to the footer of the Blog pages and remedy an issue where instead of opening hyperlinks in a new tab when requested, it just opens in the same window. Beyond that, he's currently transferring my domain names which will apparently take a few days. Once that's done, it goes live!

From a copy and photos perspective, it's all done. I had a copywriter look over the site and I've implemented the tweaks that she has suggested (although I'm proud to say that these were mostly grammatical errors over poor content...wait...should I be proud of poor spelling and grammar? You know what I mean!).

I've shown this website to a few folk and with some suggested tweaks (which my web guy and I have implemented), it has gained positive reactions. I'm actually excited to get this launched, and then go head first into getting some expert help with the SEO.

So here is the final product. I thought I'd put this here just in case that anyone has any more thoughts.

Only had a very quick look, but I REALLY like it! It's different to the other DJ sites out there and it's certainly a polished look and feel (or it is through my weary and heavy eyes at this time of night).

AND...I found your link. I think I'm going to have to put my prices up

As for the SEO - there's a friendly chap in this 'ere forum place who's rather good at that sort of thing and taught me an awful lot

[yourdj]

Only had a very quick look, but I REALLY like it! It's different to the other DJ sites out there and it's certainly a polished look and feel (or it is through my weary and heavy eyes at this time of night).

AND...I found your link. I think I'm going to have to put my prices up

As for the SEO - there's a friendly chap in this 'ere forum place who's rather good at that sort of thing and taught me an awful lot

Dead on my pricing. I never thought I would be earning that on a weekly basis but I am (with a lot of work and triaining obviously). Hosting is obviously extra on top. I think i could probably double it with some very bespoke and cleverly crafted options, but i would want to half the work load as a result as the prep would be doubled and the delivery would have to be spot on, on the day!

I think I might remove the prices page and do a link in the text option to get people to read the info. He is right. I think people go straight to the price page and don't soak up the rest of the website. having the prices on a "what you get for your money" is a good option though, as i bet they will look at the prices and then go back to see why they are higher than the rest of their quotes.

Having said that I only usually ever get pitched against people of a similar price structure. i never even hear about the lower priced DJ's or agencies. I think being transparent and not being the slightest bit worried about competition really works well. I often encourage people to go and meet with other DJ's as 'we are all different'. if they book me then thats up to them, all I can do is present them with what I do and take an interest in them.

http://yourdj.co.uk/prices/

[Benny Smyth]

Did either of you find it a hindrance to click on the hyperlink to get the prices, or were you indifferent?

If the latter, do you think that may be because you knew it was there?

[Imagine]

Did either of you find it a hindrance to click on the hyperlink to get the prices, or were you indifferent?

If the latter, do you think that may be because you knew it was there?

I went deliberately looking for it

Whether a bride would see it....dunno. I regularly playback what people do on my website and it's amazing just how little they actually read at times. As you mentioned yesterday, they hunt for the pricing bit first.

Whether they'd take the time to read the content and find the link is another matter - only time will tell on that one.

[Benny Smyth]

Ok...wow....so it's now live - a turnaround that took me and Webmaster J by surprise!