Anticipated to launch in 2021, Google is introducing a new ranking signal, which combines Core Web Vitals with existing user experience signals, to improve the way it evaluates the overall experience provided by an individual landing page.
Google’s Webmaster blog explains, “Through both internal studies and industry research, users show they prefer sites with a great page experience. In recent years, Search has added a variety of user experience criteria, such as how quickly pages load and mobile-friendliness, as factors for ranking results. Earlier this month, the Chrome team announced Core Web Vitals, a set of metrics related to speed, responsiveness and visual stability, to help site owners measure user experience on the web.”
INTRODUCING PAGE EXPERIENCE SIGNALS
The upcoming ranking signal will be known as Page Experience Signals and will consist of Core Web Vitals and Page Experience Metrics.
Technically speaking:
Core Web Vitals (Page Speed/Page Load Elements):
- Largest Contentful Paint: measures perceived load speed and marks the point in the page load timeline when the page’s main content has likely loaded.
- First Input Delay: measures responsiveness and quantifies the experience users feel when trying to first interact with the page.
- Cumulative Layout Shift: measures visual stability and quantifies the amount of unexpected layout shift of visible page content.
Page Experience Metrics:
- Mobile-friendly: measures whether the mobile experience is user-friendly. For example, does your site incorporate a responsive design?
- Safe-browsing: Does your site contain malicious (for example, malware) or deceptive (for example, social engineering) content.
- HTTPS-security: Is your site served over a secure server?
- User experience: Is the content on your pages easily accessible to the user?
Google will provide at least a 6 month notice before an official rollout Page Experience 2021 may seem like it’s way out into the future, but with any planned changes that can impact your search visibility, no time is better than now to make sure you are prepared.
Although Core Web Vitals and Page Experience Metrics are newer terms and will become official ranking signals, NJ Advance Media’s comprehensive SEO audits, comprehensive SEO campaigns and website development strategies already consider these elements as critical factors in improving overall web page visibility, engagement, and conversion.
We’re here to help.