Page speed had been part of Google's desktop ranking for years, but until 2018 mobile search worked differently. In January 2018 Google announced it would start using page speed in mobile search ranking from July, and on 9 July 2018 it confirmed the change was rolling out to all users. Google called it the "Speed Update".
The headlines at the time made it sound dramatic. In reality, Google was clear that the update would only affect the slowest pages and a small percentage of queries. A highly relevant page could still rank well even if it was slow.
This article explains what Google announced, what the Speed Update did and did not do, how speed signals evolved into Core Web Vitals and the page experience system, and how to think about speed in 2026 without over- or under-investing in it.
Key Takeaways
- Google announced the Speed Update in January 2018; it began rolling out to all users on 9 July 2018.
- It made page speed a ranking factor for mobile searches; speed was already used for desktop.
- Google said it would only affect pages delivering the slowest experience and a small percentage of queries.
- The same standard applied regardless of the technology used to build a page, and relevance still came first.
- Speed signals later evolved into Core Web Vitals, which Google says are used by its ranking systems today.
The Speed Update at a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Speed Update (Google's own name) |
| Announced | January 2018, on the Google Search Central (then Webmaster Central) blog |
| Launched | 9 July 2018, when Google updated its post to say it was rolling out for all users |
| Type | Mobile ranking signal (page experience) |
| Confirmed by Google? | Yes, pre-announced and confirmed at launch |
| Scope | Mobile search; only pages with the slowest experience; a small percentage of queries |
| Tools Google pointed to | Chrome User Experience Report, Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights |
Search Engine Land's report on launch day summarised the scope neatly:
“It only impacts the mobile search rankings of the slowest of sites on the internet.”
— Barry Schwartz, Search Engine Land, Google Speed Update is now being released to all users
What Google said the update would do
Google's January 2018 post, later updated on 9 July 2018, made several points that are still worth remembering:
- It would only affect pages that deliver the slowest experience to users, and only a small percentage of queries.
- It applied the same standard to all pages, regardless of the technology used to build them.
- The intent of the search query was still a strong signal, so a slow page with great, relevant content could still rank highly.
- There was no single tool that showed whether a page was affected, so developers were encouraged to consider a range of user experience metrics.
Google did not publish a speed threshold. That frustrated some site owners, but it was consistent with Google's message: this was about the worst experiences, not about shaving milliseconds off already fast pages.
Who was affected?
There is little reliable public data on specific winners and losers, and we have not found a sourced study showing large ranking swings from this update. Given Google's own description, the pages most at risk were very slow mobile pages. Fast or average pages had little reason to see any change. Be cautious with any article that claims precise percentages of affected sites without showing its data.
How speed signals evolved into Core Web Vitals
The Speed Update was a stepping stone. Google later introduced Core Web Vitals, a set of real-user metrics for loading, interactivity and visual stability, and built them into the page experience system. The timeline below shows how the pieces fit together.
| Year | Change | What it measured or did |
|---|---|---|
| Before 2018 | Speed used in desktop ranking | Page speed considered for desktop results |
| July 2018 | Speed Update | Speed used in mobile ranking, affecting only the slowest pages |
| June to September 2021 | Page experience update (mobile) | Added Core Web Vitals to existing page experience signals for mobile |
| February to March 2022 | Page experience update (desktop) | Extended page experience signals to desktop results |
| March 2024 | INP replaces FID | Interaction to Next Paint became the Core Web Vitals responsiveness metric |
| 2026 | Current guidance | Google says Core Web Vitals are used by its ranking systems; there is no single page experience signal |
Google's current page experience documentation is careful about how much these signals matter. It says there is no single page experience signal, that Core Web Vitals are used by its ranking systems, and that other page experience aspects don't directly help a site rank higher.
“Core Web Vitals are used by our ranking systems.”
— Google Search Central, Understanding page experience in Google Search results
For a full explanation of the metrics, see our Core Web Vitals guide, and for realistic expectations, our article on what page experience fixes can and can't do for rankings.
How to approach page speed in 2026
Speed matters most for users, conversions and the slowest pages. A sensible process looks like this:
- Start with field data: check the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console and real-user data in PageSpeed Insights.
- Group problem URLs by template rather than fixing pages one by one.
- Fix the worst experiences first, especially slow mobile templates for important landing pages.
- Tackle the usual causes: heavy images, render-blocking scripts, third-party tags and slow server response.
- Use lab tools such as Lighthouse to test fixes before release.
- Re-check field data after changes, allowing time for real-user data to update.
- Weigh further speed work against content and relevance improvements, which usually matter more for rankings.
Our practical guide to improving page speed covers each fix in detail.
Common mistakes
- Chasing a perfect lab score. Google pointed to real-user experience; a 100 in a lab test is not the goal.
- Expecting speed alone to beat relevance. Google said a slow page with great, relevant content could still rank highly.
- Ignoring third-party scripts. Tag managers, chat widgets and ad scripts are frequent causes of slow mobile pages.
- Optimising only the homepage. Most organic traffic lands on inner pages and templates.
- Using outdated metrics. FID was replaced by INP in March 2024; make sure your reporting reflects that.
Where the Speed Update fits in the timeline
The Speed Update arrived in the same year Google began moving sites to mobile-first indexing and three years after the mobile-friendly update. Together, these changes made the mobile experience central to how Google evaluates pages. For the full history, see our algorithm updates hub.
Related Guides
- The Medic Update (August 2018 Core Update) and YMYL Sites
- Google's March 2019 Core Update: The First Month-Named Core Update
- Google's June 2019 Core Update: The First Pre-Announced Core Update
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Google Speed Update launch?
Google announced it in January 2018 and confirmed it was rolling out to all users on 9 July 2018.
Did the Speed Update affect desktop rankings?
No. Speed was already used for desktop ranking; the Speed Update applied speed to mobile search ranking.
How slow did a page have to be to be affected?
Google did not publish a threshold. It said only pages delivering the slowest experience to users would be affected, and only a small percentage of queries.
Is the Speed Update the same as Core Web Vitals?
No. Core Web Vitals came later as part of the page experience update that rolled out from June 2021. They are the current way Google measures real-user page experience.
Will a faster site rank higher?
Not automatically. Google says Core Web Vitals are used by its ranking systems, but relevance and content quality remain far more important.
Conclusion
The Speed Update was smaller than its headlines suggested, but it set the direction for Core Web Vitals and today's page experience guidance. Fix your slowest mobile experiences, measure with real-user data and keep relevance first. If you want expert help, our page speed optimisation service can audit and fix your templates, or you can get a quote.
