The upcoming Google Page Experience Update is set to launch in May, giving us all just a few months to prepare for its highly anticipated arrival. Here’s our quick guide on what to expect when the update lands later this year:
How will the Page Experience Update affect me and my business?
The main purpose of the upcoming Google Page Experience Algorithm Update is for Google to better understand how a user will perceive the experience of a specific web page. To measure this, they’ll be evaluating your website against a set of signals.
For example, Google will analyze signals such as:
the responsiveness of a page
whether it’s mobile-friendly or not
how quickly it loads
whether it runs on HTTPs.
Other Google search ranking factors that will be considered include the intrusive interstitials penalty (too many pop-ups) as well as the safe browsing penalty.
Once the Page Experience update goes live, Google will test various ways to display a “visual indicator” in the search results. This lets searchers know if clicking a link in their search results will likely offer a great experience or not.
When can we expect to see these visual indicators?
Google has already said that many of us can expect to see these icons popping up in our search results soon, as they plan to test the visual indicators out asap. If successful, we can all expect to see them launch fully in May 2021.
What about content?
While the Page Experience Update will focus on the signals listed above, it won’t affect the need for great content on your website. Content is still king, and fast loading speeds and mobile-friendliness won’t override poor content.
Make sure your site is designed to deliver a great experience and great content, and you’re poised to dominate the search results. Prioritizing one over the other is likely to lead to a mediocre result at best.
What can you do to prepare your business for the Page Experience update?
It’s not completely clear exactly what impact the new update will have on rankings. However, if you rely on your website to generate leads and customers, then you should take the time to understand the signals Google will be looking for, and make any necessary changes.
The good news is that none of these signals are new factors, and you’re likely to have optimized for them already. Google has always prioritized mobile-friendly pages with good responsiveness and HTTPs.
Check that you’ve optimized your site for:
loading speed
mobile-friendliness
alt text on images
reducing excessive pop-ups
security
If you haven’t yet optimized for these factors, however, now is a great time to do so. A visual prompt in the search results that your site will provide a great experience is a wonderful way to get more clicks to your website. Even better, most of the factors that Google is applying in this update are factors that also tend to lend themselves to conversion – and let’s face it, that’s the real goal!