Google are launching a new algorithm, set to take place from June 2021. It’s the Google Page Experience Update and it will focus on user experience of your website, rather than just the content. This makes a lot of sense, since users need to have a good and safe browsing experience on the site alongside finding the info they need. As with all such updates, some websites will rank higher and some will rank lower. Here are the 5 signals in the new page experience ranking factor that you should focus on…
Mobile friendliness
We talk about mobile friendliness all the time, and that’s because a growing number of people choose to browse on their phone. If you needed any more motivation to update your website’s mobile version, let this be it! With the new Google Page Experience Update, this could really impact your ranking. There is a way to test it with Google’s standalone mobile-friendly test tool. Also, simply going through your website yourself on different devices and browsers can highlight issues you may not have considered before.
Safe browsing
This signal looks at whether your site has any malware issues, harmful downloads, deceptive content or other safety issues. You can check for them with Google Safe Browsing tool here. If this test flags up any problems, it’s worth contacting a web developer to help you eliminate them.
Using HTTPS
This is an easy test! If you click on a page and see the secure padlock in top left of your browser address bar, you’re all set. If not, you need to make sure your site has an SSL certificate and uses HTTPS.
No intrusive mobile pop-ups
To meet the requirements for Google Page Experience Update, you’ll want to eliminate intrusive pop-ups that interrupt the mobile browsing experience. These make your content harder to access, so go through your site and ensure that there aren’t any pop-ups that get in the way.
Core Web Vitals
This signal mostly relates to how fast and responsive your website is. This includes your website’s loading time, how quickly it responds to user engagement and also the stability of the visuals. You may notice some of these issues yourself, however, we can help you with a more detailed report and plan of action to optimise your core web vitals.
What does Google Page Experience Update mean for your business?
As we mentioned at the start of the article, this update could mean your website will rank higher, lower or even stay neutral – depending how well you meet the new requirements. Will content still have an upper hand over page experience? Yes, but where there is a split between the two, your website may still rank lower. The good news is, these issues can be fairly easy to fix – chat to us today to find out how! Our expert team has a diverse portfolio in web design and user experience and we can help prepare your site for the new update.
