Banner - May 2021 Google Page Experience Update: Is Your Website Ready?

Next month, we are expecting to see yet another Google algorithm update. This time, Google is going to start rewarding websites that offer premium page experiences – a reward worth earning since it can affect whether your website will sink or swim in search results.

Google will focus on a few new and existing ranking signals, which will help determine if websites are providing fast, responsive, and enjoyable online experiences. To make sure your website is ready to outperform competitors and make it to the top of search results, here is all you need to know about the May 2021 Google Page Experience update.

Source: Google Search Central

What’s New?

3 Core Vitals

With the new Google algorithm update comes three new core vitals. These will signal to Google whether or not your website provides a positive user experience when it comes to loading, interactivity, and visual stability.

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – How long it takes for your website to load its main content.

First Input Delay (FID) – The time between a discrete user input (clicking a link, pressing a button, etc.) and when a browser responds to that input.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – How often content shifts around as the page loads while users are interacting.

What’s Staying the Same?

HTTPS

Back in 2018, Google began penalising websites with a “not secure” alert in the URL bar if they had unencrypted connections. Websites must be served over HTTPS.

Safe Browsing

Websites should be free of any malware or deceptive practices. Any website that switches between compliant and policy-violating is penalised.

No Intrusive Interstitials

Simply put, you shouldn’t have any pop-ups on your website that blocks content and disrupts a user’s experience.

Mobile-Friendly

Content must be aligned and responsive on mobile devices.

To Google, a mobile-friendly website is a user-friendly website. Websites must be built with a “mobile-first” mindset to keep up in search results.

How to Prepare for the Update

With the update rolling out in just a few weeks, you should conduct a website audit as soon as possible. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes, take the steps they would take throughout your website, and evaluate the user experience. Is my site easy to navigate? Do pages load quickly? Is my site responsive across all devices? Does the site meet safe browsing standards?

88% of users are less likely to return to a website after a bad user experience.

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After you discover where you can improve, create a plan for making the changes and updates. The May 2021 update won’t knock you down in search results overnight, so you have time to prioritize these updates and get them done in the coming months to maintain or improve your rank.

Our Team Can Help

The web team at at+m marketing can help you get these updates done quickly and correctly to ensure your website is up to Google’s expectations following the Page Experience update. Not only will you give customers a more positive experience with your brand, but you could also see improved rankings – and better rankings = more visibility = more traffic = more sales/leads/etc.

Contact us today to get started.

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