Google: Page Size Is Growing

Google’s Search Relations team recently examined the issue of webpage size and its impact on crawling in a new episode of the Search Off the Record podcast. Over the past decade, web pages have expanded nearly threefold, raising questions about performance, accessibility, and whether structured data may be contributing to “page bloat.”

In the discussion, Google representatives Gary Illyes and Martin Splitt explored the implications of these changes for both users and Google’s crawling systems. The conversation began with a seemingly straightforward question: are websites becoming too large? Splitt argued that overall website size is less relevant than the size of individual pages, emphasising that page-level weight is the key factor when evaluating performance.

How Page Size Has Changed

Splitt cited data from the 2025 Web Almanac by HTTP Archive, revealing that the median mobile homepage size has increased from 845 KB in 2015 to 2,362 KB in July 2025. This nearly threefold growth was expected due to the increased complexity of modern web applications, but the scale of the change still surprised both Illyes and Splitt.

Defining “page weight” remains a challenge. Splitt noted that interpretations vary depending on whether people consider only raw HTML, total bytes transferred, or all resources needed to fully render a page, including scripts, images, and stylesheets.

Google’s Crawl Limits

Illyes addressed how Google handles larger pages through its crawling infrastructure. Google applies a 15 MB default limit per URL across its systems, though CSS, JavaScript, and images are fetched separately. This differs from the official Googlebot documentation, which states that Googlebot crawls the first 2 MB of supported file types and up to 64 MB for PDFs.

The team explained that these limits can be adjusted internally depending on the page or content being crawled, offering flexibility while maintaining efficiency.

Structured Data and Page Bloat

One key topic was whether structured data, which Google recommends for better indexing and search results, contributes to increased page weight. Illyes explained that structured data primarily exists for machine understanding rather than user experience. Adding extensive structured data can increase a page’s size without any visible effect for visitors, creating a potential tension between SEO benefits and page performance.

Does Page Size Matter?

Splitt affirmed that page size still matters, especially for users with slower or metered internet connections. While fast home broadband may mask the impact of larger pages, visitors in regions with limited speeds can experience slower load times and reduced accessibility. He suggested that page size growth might be outpacing improvements in median mobile connection speeds, highlighting the importance of optimisation.

Previous studies referenced by Illyes also indicate that faster-loading websites often enjoy better user retention and conversion rates, though no specific research was cited in the podcast.

Looking Forward

Splitt mentioned plans to cover practical strategies for reducing page size in a future podcast episode. While most pages are unlikely to exceed Google’s crawl limits, the overall trend of growing page weight is significant. It affects not only crawling and indexing but also user experience, particularly for those relying on slower or limited internet connections.

The podcast highlights a broader point: while web applications continue to evolve and become more sophisticated, developers and SEO professionals must balance functionality, structured data implementation, and page performance to ensure accessibility and a smooth experience for all users.