The update of Google Experience will take effect from May 2021… So it's soon! To classify the results in its search engine, Google will now take into account the user experience. It will also test the display of a visual indicator in the search results which will highlight the pages which have a good user experience. Let's go further and discover in more detail what is the Google Experience update.
What is the experience page?
To understand how a user will perceive the experience of a specific web page, Google will assess a set of signals. These include:
- The speed of loading a page,
- Its compatibility with mobile phones,
- Its operation in HTTPS,
- The presence of intrusive interstices and the fact that the content bounces or not as the page is loaded.
The page experience is therefore made up of several existing research classification factors. Compatibility for mobiles, loading time and page speed, HTTPS safety, etc. While refining measures relating to speed and conviviality. These improvements are within the framework of what Google calls “Core Web Vitals”.
Visual indicators of the user experience in search results
When the update of Google Page Experience will be online, Google said it will test different ways to display a visual indicator in search results. This indicator will inform a surfer if this or that research result will be a “good experience”. Google has already shown this type of visual indicators with AMP icons, labels adapted to mobiles, etc.
“We believe that providing information on the quality of the experience of a web page can be useful to users to choose the search result they want to visit”, wrote Google.
“On the results, the overview of an extract or an image helps to provide a topical context so that users know what information a page can provide. Visual indicators are another way of doing the same thing, and we are working on an indicator that identifies the pages that have responded to all the experience criteria on the page“.
It is difficult to determine how long these user experience indicators will last, it depends if Google decides, on the basis of their data, if it is worth displaying it in the search results. We will have the answer during the month of May.
What to do, now, so as not to be negatively impacted by the Google Experience update?
The new Google update on the experience of web pages will not replace the current classification elements. It becomes an additional classification factor in natural referencing, but the most important point, from a referral point of view, remains the quality of the content. However, since the measurement of the Experience page will affect the search results and the rankings, it is good to know what you can do to prepare.
Have a great web hosting service
Today, your site's performance is already one of the key classification factors. Whether you have an internal server or use a accommodation service, it is wise to make sure that your site is fast and responsive. You can analyze the responsiveness of your site with the Google Pagespeed Insights tool or use a performance monitoring tool for your dedicated website. In addition, you can consult the sites that collect and share data on the performance of web hosting providers.
Your pages should be “light”
The images go hand in hand with today's websites. However, if you fill your web pages with too much visual content, your site will be slowed down. There are several ways to approach this problem, depending on the nature of your site:
- You can optimize your images and make them less heavy using an image compressor such as Imageoptim.
- If the content of your page is already heavy, consider distributing the largest elements on several pages of your site.
You can also use a content distribution network (CDN) to put your cache content closer to the visitor's access point.
Optimize your site for mobile devices
The world of today and tomorrow is very active on his mobile. It is not enough that your users access your content with their smartphone; They also wait for your site to adapt to smaller screens. This is why your site must be optimized for mobiles. The good news is that most modern websites for website creation (WordPress, Shopify, etc.) already have templates adapted to mobiles that do not require additional coding efforts. You can quickly test if your site is suitable for mobiles using the Google test tool.
Install safety measures
The security of websites undoubtedly deserves a dedicated article to cover all the bases, but let's focus only on the Google point of view.
- First of all, do not voluntarily add malicious scripts or deceptive content to your website.
- In addition, protect your site from malware and other hacking attempts by adding a firewall. Although it is not yet clear if Google will check the presence of a firewall on your site, you should have one in place in all cases.
- Finally, install an SSL certificate that encrypts your data, because Google already monitors whether a site is secure or not. However, most modern accommodation services already include an SSL certificate in their plans.
Overall, investing in the safety of a site is worth the pain for peace of mind but also from a referencing point of view.
Reduce or remove large pop-up banners
Google considers a nuisance everything that prevents its users from accessing the content they are looking for. Therefore, do not put a giant banner on your site. Make advertising more subtle, and you will have no problem with Google.
What do I risk if I'm not that checklist?
From a web point of view, you risk a lot!
Indeed, the update of Google Page Experience will highlight the websites that respect the main rules in terms of user experience. Your site may therefore be relegated to the bottom of the abyss of Google if you do not update it. As a website or website owner, you must:
- Optimize your pages with these new parameters in order to strengthen your positions,
- Prepare you as quickly as possible because, the SEO, it takes time
Finally, and to be completely precise, the previous updates Google (Panda & Bert) had a respective impact of 11.8% and 10% on the total requests!
