Wondering what the Google Page Experience Update in 2021 was all about? It’s not that complicated: All the update asks from you is to make your website easy for your audience to use and navigate. A user-friendly website has more practical advantages than you think – in fact, it’s already affecting your ranking. 

What Exactly Is Page Experience? 

According to Google, Page Experience is a set of signals that measure how well your website is perceived by users based on pure interaction, going beyond the value of the content you put up. Google uses a set of metrics as Page Experience ranking factors.

In simple words, if users find it easy to move around your website, you will be ranked higher than less navigable websites. Likewise, if your website is a great space for people to be on and has high-quality content to offer, you have more chances of climbing up the rankings.

Conversely, if visitors do not find any information on your website and leave before they find what they’re looking for, your rankings are likely to plummet.

In short, the Google Page Experience Update wants to push marketers to create a meaningful and harmonious experience for their users.

How Will It Affect Your Ranking?

This new algorithm update is not a way out of creating quality content. Instead, it will join the other hundreds of signals that decide where your website will stand. 

Consider this scenario: You and your competitor are working tirelessly to create informational and quality content, but your website is more user-friendly. In that case, you will likely be ranked higher than your competitor. However, if your user-friendly website does not provide quality content, you will be ranked low nonetheless. 

So, your user-friendly website must complement the great content you produce, not substitute it.

That said, here are the Page Experience ranking factors to focus on:

Page Experience Ranking Factors

Core Web Vitals

Google uses a set of metrics that takes into account your website’s loading performance, interactivity and visual stability based on your audience’s experience. Overall page quality and load speed are scrutinized.

Mobile-Friendliness

Your website must be at its maximum functionality on mobile phones, just like it is on a desktop computer or laptop. 

HTTPS

There’s no getting around Google’s demand for security. Statistics have proven that websites with HTTPS have a greater chance of appearing in search results. In fact, as high as 70.4 percent of pages in search results have HTTPS.

Intrusive Interstitial Guidelines

Interstitials are pop-ups that appear on your site. They can either be legal requirements (like an age-bar pop-up or information regarding cookie usage), login dialogues or banners. You can go through the in-depth instructions provided by Google.

Why Is the Google Page Experience Algorithm Update Important?

The 2021 update is an opportunity for not-so-famous brands to step into the limelight. Through this feature, you can focus on creating value for your customers in the best way you can, and Google will help you get recognized. 

This big change will send backlinks and buttoned-up codes to the backseat since they will no longer be the main criteria to decide your ranking. 

If you shift to the user’s perspective, this update is a big win. Once this new update is in action, the results presented to the users will be way more targeted and, most importantly, user-friendly. Any confusion during navigation will be removed, and users will have a trouble-free experience. 

If you’re a search engine optimization (SEO) specialist, understanding all the Page Experience ranking factors will be extremely beneficial for all your campaigns.

Google keeps introducing new updates and factors that increase user satisfaction and rank the best websites. To stay on top of trends, you can take an online digital marketing course. Enrolling in this course will help you understand Google and its algorithms better. It will also give you a firmer grasp of how the industry works and what Google demands from you.

Now, let’s answer the big question: How can you be in Google’s good books after the Google Page Experience Update 2021?

How To Create a User-Friendly Website

Now that you know the importance of a user-friendly website, here are some tips for making your site appealing to both users and Google:

1. Keep Navigation Smooth

Smooth navigation is the most important component of a user-friendly website. If the elements on your page provide anything less than a stellar browsing experience, it will disrupt your visitors’ flow and drive them off your site. So, along with trying to be creative, ensure that you do what’s best for your audience. 

2. Use Simple Visual Elements

Stay away from fancy fonts that are difficult to read and comprehend. Use simple fonts that complement the aesthetic of your website. The color of your fonts should contrast the color of the backdrop. All the details on your website should be clearly presented.

3. Avoid Jargon

Technical terminology often confuses readers. If they don’t understand your website copy, they will likely leave your website. If you’re planning on using jargon, make sure to explain what it means. This will make your brand more relatable to your audience. 

4. Minimize Loading Time

Ensure that “loading…” is not seen on your website for long. If it stays on the screen for more than three seconds, you have already lost your user. Limit the number of images, videos and audio on your website so there’s less loading and more activity. 

5. Be Mobile-Friendly

Browsing on smartphones is at an all-time high. So, your website has to be flawless when accessed from a mobile device. Ensure that all the menus and details of the website are aligned perfectly, both on desktop and mobile. 

6. It’s More Than Just Speed

When you think of an optimized website, you normally think of speed. Now, however, that is not the only thing Google takes into consideration. So, while trying to have a minimum loading time, think about what your viewers are experiencing and how you can make it better for them.

Conclusion

These were a few tips for creating a user-friendly website and meeting the requirements of the Google Page Experience algorithm update. 

Remember that a great page is one that gives visitors the information they need quickly and smoothly. On the other hand, a bad page provides the opposite – slow load speeds and irrelevant content.

Hence, all the factors are important: speed, user-friendliness, quality content, everything! Get into the mindset of your target audience and understand their needs and expectations. This will be a good starting point for optimizing your pages and creating a website that Google and your visitors will love.