In it’s entirety, Google’s ranking system is in place to create better online experiences for all users. In order to be successful, in the eyes of the search engine algorithms, it is important for website owners to ensure that their page experience is built with users in mind. Rather than focusing on one or two aspects of the page, a comprehensive approach should be taken to guarantee an overall great experience.
Update Alert:
February 22, 2022: Google releases the page experience update for desktop. This rollout was complete as of March 3, 2022.
Page Experience Ranking
Originally, Google released page experience ranking for it’s mobile users. Now, they are finally adding it for desktop users. The goal is to make sure users are being directed to webpages that offer a good page experience.
When it comes to gauging user experience on a web page, there are a number of factors to consider. Google’s criteria are designed to measure factors such as page load speed, mobile-friendliness, HTTPS security protocols, intrusive ads and more. Specifically, Google measures through what they call ‘Core Web Vitals‘. These are:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): measures loading performance. This is done by measuring the time it takes for the largest image or text block to become visible from the time the page begins loading.
- First Input Delay (FID): measures interactivity. Basically, how long it takes from clicking on link until the browser begins processing event handlers.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): measures visual stability. This measurement helps quantify how often users experience unexpected layout shifts.
What to Expect
Since Google has already released this experience for mobile users, they are rolling out the same exact measurement criteria for desktop, outside of measuring for mobile-responsiveness. To make it even easier visually, here’s a table directly from Google:
Fear not, Google has stated that this new measurement tool should not create drastic changes to page rankings. Specifically, Google noted that “while this update is designed to highlight pages that offer great user experiences, page experience remains one of many factors our systems take into account”. So while, page experience will now be a ranking factor, there are plenty of other factors that play a part in how well your pages will rank on the search engine as well.
Page Experience Report
In an effort to keep ranking measurements accessible, Google has released its Page Experience Report. This gives insights into where a website could benefit from improvement. It measures URLs based on the same factors mentioned above:
- Core Web Vitals
- Mobile Usability
- HTTPS usage
This is a great tool to utilize if you want to check for, and make, improvements on your website. Even if your ranking isn’t noticeably effected, a major goal of any website should be to offer a good experience to users. So, take some time and see what this tool can tell you about your website.
Keep Your Ranking High
There are a lot of factors to consider when trying to stay at the top of search engine rankings. As a marketing company, is very important for the Cyberlicious® team to follow these updates so we can better provide for our clients. When push comes to shove, we are here to make sure you reach the top.
Whether there are changes to make regarding SEO or website design and UI/UX, we stay in-the-know so you can trust what we do.