Understanding Google's Core Web Vitals and Page Experience Update
The realm of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is ever-evolving, with changes in algorithms and ranking factors presenting new opportunities and challenges for website owners. A key development in 2021 has been the introduction of Google's Core Web Vitals and Page Experience Update. This change further emphasises the importance of delivering a high-quality user experience for optimal search visibility.
What are Google's Core Web Vitals?
Google's Core Web Vitals are a set of three specific factors that the search engine considers important in a webpage's overall user experience. They are:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This metric measures the load speed and marks the point in the page load timeline when the main content has likely loaded. An ideal LCP measurement is 2.5 seconds or faster.
- First Input Delay (FID): FID measures interactivity. It quantifies the experience users feel when trying to interact with the page – how long it takes for the browser to respond to the user's first interaction. A good FID score is less than 100 milliseconds.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This metric measures visual stability. It quantifies the amount of unexpected layout shift of visible page content. A good CLS score is less than 0.1.
These metrics reflect the speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of a page, respectively. Google has provided a variety of tools (such as PageSpeed Insights, Search Console's Core Web Vitals report, and Lighthouse) to measure these metrics and identify potential areas of improvement.
Google's Page Experience Update
In June 2021, Google began rolling out its Page Experience Update. This update expanded on Google's emphasis on user experience by combining Core Web Vitals with existing Google Search signals:
- Mobile-friendliness: Does your site look good and function well on mobile devices?
- Safe-browsing: Does your site contain malicious or deceptive content?
- HTTPS-security: Is your site's connection secure?
- Intrusive Interstitial Guidelines: Does your site avoid pop-ups or other features that distract from and interfere with the user experience?
These signals are not new, but their combination with Core Web Vitals into a holistic Page Experience signal underlines the growing importance of user experience in Google's search algorithm.
The Implication for SEO
In the highly competitive SEO landscape, the introduction of Core Web Vitals and the Page Experience Update is significant. While Google has always valued quality content, the shift towards user experience is increasingly explicit. Website owners and SEO professionals must now pay closer attention than ever to website performance and user-centered design alongside content quality.
Sites providing a smooth, fast, secure, and mobile-friendly user experience are likely to see improved rankings in Google Search. In contrast, those neglecting these areas may find their visibility on the SERPs diminishing, even if their content is relevant and of high quality.
Conclusion
SEO is not just about keywords and backlinks anymore. Google's Core Web Vitals and the Page Experience Update underscore the shift towards a more comprehensive approach to evaluating websites. Websites today need to balance high-quality, relevant content with a user-focused design that ensures fast load times, interactive responsiveness, visual stability, mobile optimization, and safe browsing. Understanding and optimizing these factors will be crucial for SEO success in the post-update landscape.