HTTP/3 doesn’t have a direct impact on SEO despite its faster performance, Google states.
Google Search Advocate John Mueller debunks a theory that the faster speed of HTTP/3 can directly impact
a site’s SEO. This topic is resolved throughout the November 2022 edition of Google’s SEO office-hours Q&A session. Signed up with by the Google Search Relations team, Muller addresses the following question:
Could using HTTP/3 improve SEO because it improves efficiency?
HTTP/3 uses efficiency benefits over HTTP/2 and HTTP/3. Nevertheless, the performance gains are unlikely to make a distinction concerning SEO.
Mueller On The SEO Effect Of HTTP/3
Mueller begins his response by specifying Google doesn’t utilize HTTP/3 as a ranking aspect or in web crawling:
“Google does not utilize HTTP/3 as a factor in ranking at the moment. As far as I know, we don’t use it in crawling either.”
Google mainly utilizes HTTP/1 for web crawling. Googlebot supports HTTP/2 but only utilizes it when there’s a clear benefit over HTTP/1.
Assistance for HTTP/3 is likely a long way off. Sites that choose to adopt it early won’t see a direct improvement in search rankings, Mueller explains:
“In regards to performance, I believe the gains users see from using HTTP/3 would not suffice to considerably affect the core web vitals, which are the metrics that we use in the page experience ranking element. While making a much faster server is always an excellent idea, I doubt you ‘d see a direct connection with SEO only from using HTTP/3. Comparable to how you ‘d be tough pushed to finding a direct connection to using a faster type of RAM in your servers.”
Mueller gave a comparable reaction when asked about HTTP/3 in December 2021.
Nevertheless, he recommended HTTP/3 could “possibly indirectly” impact core web vitals.
I do not believe we crawl with http/3 however that does not suggest you will not see favorable effects for users (and with that, potentially indirectly core web vitals too).
— John Mueller is mainly not here (@JohnMu) December 6, 2021
Mueller sounds more confident now in stating that there’s no impact.
Hear his action in the video listed below:
Included Image: SteafPong88/Best SMM Panel