This is advanced warning of an algorithmic change which is coming later in the Spring of 2021. In our latest article, we’ll take a closer look at what it is and how it could impact you.
As the title suggests the new change is going to be based around page experience and it is going to be a very important update which could have wide implications for your website, aswell as affecting your rankings. With the change not taking place for some months, there is a perfect amount of time to make sure you are ready.
What actually is the change?
Page experience is as simple as it sounds, yet for this purpose it will be rather complicated. This new measure will be all about how users interact with your website and how good or bad they find their dealings with the site. The first thing to note is that page experience will include all the factors that have been previously adopted in other changes and which you should be familiar with by now (such as mobile friendliness, whether the site is https secure, etc.) If these have not been addressed yet, then this would be the most obvious starting point while you still have time.
The new change however will also include metrics which are included in Google’s Web Vitals. These comprise and are described as the following:
A) Load speed. The time it takes the main content to load.
B) Stability. Whether the content is located where it is expected to be.
C) Connection. The gap in time between when a user first clicks on something to when that action is processed.
The aim is to bring all of the factors and metrics of ‘usability’ together into one complete set, therefore it is understandable why this is so important as it brings multiple updates together.
Google have also stated that they will build and expand on this update, going a step further (probably in 2022,) by providing an icon next to search results showing which sites are page experience friendly and which are not. Whilst that may be some time away, what it does show is the serious amount of investment being put into it, and that it is not a minor adjustment or change.
Why should I take it seriously?
To put simply, the potential implications to your website could be vast, both positive and negative depending on how you score with regards to the metrics.
If you are seen as ‘complying’ then this is likely to boost your rankings which will in turn have a big impact on your traffic and potentially conversions or sales. If not, you will almost certainly slip down the list, meaning your competitors will have a better advantage, and worse case, gain the share of your industry that you should be taking!
Worried your website might not be in the best condition? Visit our SEO audit section which provides you with information on how we can help. This will also get you ready for the change that is coming in May and set you in a much better position.