Hold tight everyone! Google completed a significant algorithm change back in August called ‘The Page Experience Update.’ Now before you panic, it wasn’t as major as the previous Google updates such as Hummingbird or Panda, but it is important that website owners pay attention to it, because there are many aspects to it that may need your attention.
It’s primary aim is to rank the sites at the top that users love the most, so the more user-friendly your website, the better chance it has of performing well in search engines.
Page experience refers to a set of ranking signals which determine whether a website is providing visitors with acceptable speed, safety, performance, and usability. This ranking signal comprises four elements:
- Core Web Vitals: measure whether sites meet Google benchmarks for Loading, Interactivity, and Visual Stability.
- Mobile-friendly: whether the site loads quickly and offers a great user experience on mobile devices.
- HTTPS: The site needs to be served over a secure connection.
- No intrusive interstitials: When browsing the site, users are not interrupted by poorly designed interstitial pop-ups or ads.
Why does Google care about page experience anyway?
You might be asking, “Hang on… why does Google care about page experience anyway?” Remember that the search engine’s primary goal has always been to display the best and highest quality search results for its users. If users have a poor experience on your website, they’re going to go elsewhere (i.e. your competitor!), so it makes sense for Google to favour sites that offer users the best experience.
If your website isn’t mobile friendly, doesn’t have a secure SSL certificate, or takes a long time to load, you may be potentially missing out on more website traffic, new enquiries, leads and even revenue from your website, so it’s important to take the necessary action to fix these.
Start by downloading my FREE Guide: “How to create meaningful and engaging interactions for your website visitors that lead to more enquiries and sales.”
Then book a FREE call with me so I can help you fix some of the issues that may be preventing users having the best experience on your website.