Google is changing the way it ranks websites so that Page Experience is going to be a more important factor in whether a website receives top billing for its featured keywords. Content will continue to be crucial. But from August 2021, websites with pages that load slowly, have interstitial interference, or can’t be viewed easily on smartphones will rank lower than those with a clear and honest intention to provide accurate information about goods and services on offer.
Whenever there is a major change to the way Google ranks websites, the announcement is well heralded by Google itself and rolled out slowly so as to give website developers a chance to make sure websites are compliant. At RWD, we’ve known this is coming for some time, and we are relatively unconcerned by it.
Consumer Experience First
The reason for our calm reaction, when other SEO experts are tearing their hair out and shouting, “Doom is upon us!”? Well, we have always designed elegant fast-loading websites with consumer experience foremost in mind. We switched to mobile-friendly designs years ago when it became obvious that the market was heading that way.
In our view, if companies have pursued revenue through false clicks on ads that jump around the article a visitor to the page is trying to read, then those companies deserve to be penalised.
The New Theology
Discussion of precisely how Google chooses to rank websites can sometimes sound like medieval scholars squabbling about how many angels can dance on the head of a pin. The Google Algorithm takes the place of the celestially unfathomable and SEO experts can sound as ridiculous as their theological forebears. But in this instance it is pretty straightforward: put customer experience at the heart of your website design or watch your website fall down the rankings.
Ask yourself: Are you happy with the Page Experience of your organisation’s website? How quickly does it load? What does it look like on mobile? Is there a swift and logical customer journey from landing page to conversion action?
If you are uncertain about any of these elements, get in touch with RWD. Email info@rwd.group or call 01603 632552 to get started on improving your website’s page experience.
