What Does the Google Page Experience Update Mean for Your Website?

If you’ve worked with search engine optimization (SEO), you know how important it is to understand Google ranking factors. Google ranking factors determine how high or low your site ranks in searches, so optimizing for them is critical.

In general, ranking factors can be difficult to pinpoint because Google is secretive about how it ranks pages. However, there is one exception: the Google Page Experience update. Google has made it abundantly clear how this update affects rankings, and your company should capitalize on that.

So, what exactly is the Google Page Experience update, and what does it imply for your company? Continue reading to find out!

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What exactly is the Google Page Experience update?

Page Experience is a major update to Google’s ranking algorithm that is set to be completed in March 2022. The change makes the website experience a Google ranking factor.

Page Experience is essentially a measurement of a user’s positive or negative experience on a page. Google evaluates this using a variety of criteria, which we’ll go over in more detail below. The update’s goal is to reward pages that provide a positive user experience.

Also Read: How to Become an SEO Consultant

While Page Experience did not make a big splash in the news when it was first released, it is more important than some people realize. Google stated that it is a major ranking factor, not just a tie-breaker.

What Page Experience indicators are included in the update?

Though Page Experience is technically a single ranking factor, Google divides it into four primary Page Experience signals. Each of these signals adds to the overall Page Experience score, which is used to determine rankings.

Here’s a rundown of each one!

1. Core Web Vitals

Page load speed has long been considered an important factor in Google rankings. However, whereas it was previously an indirect contributor — slow-loading pages discouraged users from visiting, resulting in lower rankings — the Page Experience update has transformed page speed into a direct ranking signal.

Google considers page speed in the form of Core Web Vitals, which are made up of three major components:

Largest contentful paint (LCP)

LCP (largest contentful paint) is a metric that measures how long it takes for the largest piece of content on a page to load. As a result, if a page contains several paragraphs of text, an image, and a video, the LCP only considers how long it takes for the video to load.

According to Google, you should aim to keep your LCP at 2.5 seconds or less.

First input delay (FID)

The first input delay (FID) is concerned with interactivity. It measures how long it takes for a page to respond when a user clicks on something while it is still loading.

Assume you open a new page and click a button while it is loading. The FID of the page is the amount of time it takes to process that action. According to Google, it’s best to keep your FID at 100 milliseconds or less.

Cumulative layout shift (CLS)

Finally, cumulative layout shift (CLS) examines how much your page jumps around while loading. You’ve probably seen this before: you’re loading a page and about to click on something when a new element loads above it and pushes it further down the page.

This type of jerky loading process is extremely inconvenient, so Google naturally wants to reward sites that avoid it. The less your page jerks around while loading, the happier Google will be, and the higher you’ll rank.

2. Mobile compatibility

Mobile-friendliness was already a major Google ranking factor to some extent. This is due to Google’s use of a mobile-first index, which ranks sites based on their mobile format. As a result, a site that lacks a mobile format — or one that users dislike visiting on mobile — will not rank highly.

However, with the Page Experience update, mobile-friendliness is now a direct ranking factor, making it more important than ever. Google recognizes that people are increasingly using mobile devices to access the Internet, and it wishes to reward sites that are mobile-friendly.

Also Read: 7 Ways to Generate Leads Effectively Using SEO

Responsive design, which restructures the elements on the page to fit the screen where it appears, is the best way to optimize for mobile.

3. Use HTTPS.

HTTPS is the next Page Experience signal on our list. HTTPS is a protocol that you can use to help secure your website. Many websites use the basic HTTP protocol, but Google will not rank them as high because there is no guarantee that those sites are safe.

When Google sees that a website is using HTTPS, it recognizes that it will provide a better Google website experience. As a result, those sites are rewarded by being ranked higher in search results.

4. No intrusive interstitials

Finally, Google ranks and evaluates websites based on the presence of intrusive interstitials. Intrusive interstitials are page elements that prevent users from navigating to other parts of the website. In general, this refers to pop-ups that obscure page content.

Google, in particular, objects to interstitials, which force users to view an ad before they can view their content. If your site displays a pop-up when users begin to leave a page, this should not affect your rankings. Just don’t bombard users with pop-ups before they’ve even had a chance to view your content.

What does the Page Experience change mean for your company?

Now that we’ve covered all of the page experience signals included in the update, let’s wrap things up by answering one last question: What does the Google Page Experience update mean for your company?

In a nutshell, it means you’ll need to devote some time to incorporate the aforementioned elements into your SEO strategy. A good SEO campaign should already be doing the majority of these things, but if your site falls short in any of these areas, make sure to reoptimize. To be more specific, you can:

• Limit redirects (to improve page speeds)
• Cache web pages (to improve page speeds)
• Use responsive design
• Use HTTPS
• Avoid intrusive interstitials

If you take the steps outlined above, you should not experience a drop in page rankings as a result of Page Experience.

Digital Gorkhaa can assist you in improving your Google website experience.

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Our SEO services will assist you in optimizing your web content for Page Experience and a variety of other Google ranking factors. You’ll also be assigned a dedicated account representative who will keep you up to date on everything we do for your marketing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the Google Page Experience Update?

The Google Page Experience Update is an algorithm change that evaluates how users perceive the experience of interacting with a web page. It looks at factors like loading speed, interactivity, mobile-friendliness, and visual stability to help determine search rankings.

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2. Why did Google introduce the Page Experience Update?

Google wants to ensure users get the best possible experience on the web. This update rewards sites that are fast, mobile-friendly, secure, and easy to use, encouraging businesses to prioritize user satisfaction.

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3. What are Core Web Vitals, and why are they important?

Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure key aspects of user experience: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) for loading performance, First Input Delay (FID) for interactivity, and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) for visual stability. Good scores in these areas help your site perform better in search results.

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4. How does the Page Experience Update affect SEO rankings?

While content relevance and quality remain the most important ranking factors, page experience acts as a tiebreaker between pages with similar content quality. A better user experience can help your site rank higher and retain visitors longer.

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5. How can I check my website’s page experience score?

You can use tools like Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, or Lighthouse to review your Core Web Vitals and other experience metrics. These tools highlight areas where your site needs improvement.

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6. What should I do if my website fails Core Web Vitals tests?

Start by optimizing images, enabling browser caching, using a content delivery network (CDN), and minimizing code (HTML, CSS, JavaScript). You may also need to improve server response times and mobile responsiveness.

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7. Does mobile-friendliness still matter after the Page Experience Update?

Yes. Mobile usability is a key part of the update. Google primarily uses mobile-first indexing, meaning it evaluates your mobile site to determine rankings, so your site must look and work well on all devices.

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8. Will HTTPS security affect my page experience score?

Yes. Google considers HTTPS a ranking signal. Having a secure website not only improves user trust but also contributes positively to your overall page experience score.

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9. Is good page experience enough to rank higher on Google?

Not by itself. Google still prioritizes high-quality, relevant content. A great page experience supports strong content, but it won’t compensate for thin or unhelpful pages. Both quality content and good UX are essential.

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10. How often should I monitor my page experience metrics?

Regularly. It’s best to check your metrics monthly or after making major site changes. Continuous monitoring helps you stay compliant with Google’s standards and ensures your site keeps delivering a fast, smooth experience for users.