30-second summary:
- Google has always placed its emphasis on the user experience
- Core web vitals (CWV) and the Page Experience Update are part of that evolution
- Sites that already recognize the importance of fast loading times and exceptional UX are best positioned to benefit
- The prospect of having searchers warned off from clicking on your organic listings is real
Optimizing user experience makes for a more delightful web experience for all. Back in May 2020, Google announced a major Page Experience Update[1] was on the horizon, based on information taken from internal studies and industry research that demonstrates how users prefer sites with a great page experience.
This new set of search ranking signals incorporates user experience metrics including mobile-friendliness, safe browsing, SSL certification, and intrusive interstitials, as well as Core Web Vitals. Page Experience is not a requirement, and there are no penalties for not focusing here. However, the additional ranking boost could just be the factor that moves your site ahead of competitors.
In this column, you’ll learn what Core Web Vitals and Page Experience are, why they matter and what you can do to get ready for the upcoming change.
What are page experience signals?
If you take a step back and look at some of the areas where Google has placed its emphasis on the user and their experience, you can see why the new signals are so important and the bigger picture.
Source: BrightEdge, Preparing for the Page Experience Update[2]
Google has recommended that websites implement SSL and considered it a ranking factor since 2014. Three years later, the search giant added a visible marker in search results to indicate whether or not the site was HTTPS-compliant. This suddenly became a priority for marketers, as at