HTTP/3 does not have a direct effect on SEO despite its faster efficiency, Google states.
Google Browse Supporter John Mueller debunks a theory that the faster speed of HTTP/3 can directly affect
a site’s SEO. This topic is attended to during the November 2022 edition of Google’s SEO office-hours Q&A session. Signed up with by the Google Browse Relations team, Muller answers the following question:
Could making use of HTTP/3 improve SEO because it enhances performance?
HTTP/3 provides performance benefits over HTTP/2 and HTTP/3. However, the efficiency gains are unlikely to make a distinction relating to SEO.
Mueller On The SEO Effect Of HTTP/3
Mueller begins his response by mentioning Google doesn’t use HTTP/3 as a ranking element or in web crawling:
“Google does not utilize HTTP/3 as a consider ranking at the minute. As far as I know, we do not utilize it in crawling either.”
Google mostly uses HTTP/1 for web crawling. Googlebot supports HTTP/2 however only utilizes it when there’s a clear benefit over HTTP/1.
Assistance for HTTP/3 is likely a long method off. Sites that choose to adopt it early won’t see a direct enhancement in search rankings, Mueller discusses:
“In terms of performance, I believe the gains users see from using HTTP/3 would not suffice to substantially affect the core web vitals, which are the metrics that we utilize in the page experience ranking element. While making a quicker server is always a good concept, I doubt you ‘d see a direct connection with SEO just from using HTTP/3. Comparable to how you ‘d be hard pressed to discovering a direct connection to utilizing a quicker type of RAM in your servers.”
Mueller provided a similar response when asked about HTTP/3 in December 2021.
However, he suggested HTTP/3 could “potentially indirectly” impact core web vitals.
I don’t think we crawl with http/3 but that doesn’t suggest you will not see favorable results for users (and with that, potentially indirectly core web vitals too).
— John Mueller is mainly not here (@JohnMu) December 6, 2021
Mueller sounds more positive now in stating that there’s no impact.
Hear his reaction in the video listed below:
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