Big Updates from Google: Caffeine Launch and Load Time Tools
Earlier this year we commented on an upcoming update to Google’s rules for ranking websites codenamed “Caffeine.” This update actually changes how Google analyzes web pages significantly but current rankings, for the most part, should remain stable per our tests in the Developer Preview. Google is now launching Caffeine starting with 1 data center by the end of this year, and then a full rollout next year.
We’ve also discussed Google’s increasing emphasis on web page load times. We knew it was a factor for Google’s Pay-Per-Click ads (slower sites will be penalized, requiring more money to show up higher) and hinted that it will probably become a factor for every website in Google’s “natural” or regular (non-paid) search results. Well as you can see from this interview with Matt Cutts, that’s probably going to become a reality sometime soon. Google has launched a place with tools for testing your site’s load time at code.google.com/speed. These tools are free to use and we strongly recommend you find out exactly how long it takes your web pages to load so you can start streamlining them asap for the impending update to protect against any penalties against your website.