Launched in June 2021, the Page Experience Update was a significant algorithm change that made user experience signals a more prominent ranking factor. This update incorporated Core Web Vitals as a ranking signal, alongside existing search signals such as mobile-friendliness, safe-browsing, HTTPS-security, and intrusive interstitial guidelines.
Fallouts and Highlights from the Update
The Page Experience Update was rolled out gradually, which meant that its immediate impact was less dramatic than some previous updates. However, its long-term implications for website design and development were significant.
One notable impact was on news websites. Google introduced a visual indicator in mobile search results for pages that met the page experience criteria, potentially influencing click-through rates for news stories.
Many e-commerce sites also saw changes in their rankings. Those that had invested in optimising their Core Web Vitals often saw improvements in their search visibility, while slower, less user-friendly sites sometimes experienced drops.
The update sparked intense interest in technical SEO and web development communities. There was a surge in demand for tools and services related to Core Web Vitals optimisation, and many websites undertook significant technical overhauls to improve their page experience scores.
Google provided detailed documentation and tools to help webmasters prepare for this update, including the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console and PageSpeed Insights. This level of transparency was appreciated by the SEO community, although some expressed concerns about the complexity of optimising for Core Web Vitals.
Strategy Evolution
The Page Experience Update necessitated several shifts in SEO and web development strategies:
- Increased focus on optimising Core Web Vitals metrics (Largest Contentful Paint, First Input Delay, and Cumulative Layout Shift)
- Greater emphasis on mobile-first design and development
- More attention to user experience factors beyond just speed, such as interactivity and visual stability
- Development of strategies to balance rich content with performance optimisation
- Renewed importance of technical SEO as a core component of overall SEO strategy
This update marked a significant shift in how Google assessed website quality. It encouraged SEO professionals and web developers to work more closely together, recognising that user experience was now a direct ranking factor.
For many websites, this meant undertaking comprehensive technical audits and implementing various optimisation techniques. Common strategies included optimising images, minimising render-blocking resources, and improving server response times.
The update also led to an increased emphasis on performance budgeting in web development. Many sites began to more carefully consider the performance impact of each element added to their pages, balancing functionality and rich content with speed and stability.
Overall, the Page Experience Update pushed the SEO and web development industries towards more user-centric practices. It underscored Google’s commitment to rewarding sites that provide a good user experience, and highlighted the growing importance of technical optimisation in SEO success.
You must be logged in to comment.