Search engine giant Google has started testing a new ‘Slow to load’ warning sign in mobile search results. The company is now tagging certain websites as ‘Slow to load’ in its mobile search results. In February, Google was testing a red ‘Slow’ label that indicated whether a particular webpage was slow to load and warn users in advance. But nothing has been heard about that project since.
Google trying to improve user experience on mobile
Mobile searches now account for more than 50% of the total Google search queries in ten countries. Users have increasingly become dependent on mobile. So, the search engine giant is now trying to help users avoid websites that would take a lot of time to load in order to prevent them from wasting time staring at a twirling load symbol.
Mobile Internet connectivity could be slow for several reasons. Google’s new ‘Slow to load’ feature was first spotted by The Android Soul. Guys over at The Android Soul took screenshots of several websites marked as ‘Slow to load’ with a warning sign. As per the screenshot, the warning was related to a YouTube video, which would definitely take more time to load compared to sites with no videos.
You can save those links for later
Users can choose to mark it to read or watch later when they are connected to a more stable and stronger Internet network. Of course, you can wait it out but you already know that the site will take time to load. These changes are part of Google’s attempt to improve experience of using its search app on mobile devices. In April, Google revamped its search algorithm to put greater emphasis on mobile-friendliness. Mobile-friendly websites are now ranked higher in its search results.
When Search Engine Land contacted Google for comments, a company spokesperson said, “We’re always experimenting.”
Google Inc (GOOG) shares rose 0.10% to $543.50 at 11:48 AM EDT on Tuesday.
