Web Vitals come to Google’s Test My Site tool

Google is continuing its emphasis on speed to get site owners to improve their mobile web experiences for users. After rebuilding its Test My Site tool last year, Google has now added speed recommendations aimed at improving user experiences.

This includes showing speed metrics that are aligned with the Web Vitals reporting that rolled in Google Search Console earlier this month. The report also shows specific recommendations for improving site experience. These metrics focus on three aspects of user experience: loading, interactivity, and visual stability.

Why we care. For years, research has shown the relationship between conversion rates and site speed. A new study from Deloitte shows that conversion rates and average order values increase when site speed improves by as little as 0.1 seconds.

Including Web Vitals in the Test My Site tool helps align developers and marketers, with improvement recommendations for both, David Mitby, product management director for app advertising, told Search Engine Land. Recommendations might include like mobile payment options, deep linking, progressive web apps, etc.

Google made mobile site speed a ranking factor in 2018. In 2021, page experience will become a ranking factor in Google Search. Here’s what some marketers are saying about the Page Experience Update.

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.

About The Author

Ginny Marvin

Ginny Marvin was Third Door Media’s former Editor-in-Chief (October 2018 to December 2020), running the day-to-day editorial operations across all publications and overseeing paid media coverage. Ginny Marvin wrote about paid digital advertising and analytics news and trends for Search Engine Land, Marketing Land and MarTech Today. With more than 15 years of marketing experience, Ginny has held both in-house and agency management positions. She can be found on Twitter as @ginnymarvin.