Google is always changing its algorithms, but its new Page Experience update will change the way your site is evaluated for search rankings. The new criteria will assess how good (or bad) a user’s experience is and rank it accordingly. Originally scheduled for earlier this year, Page Experience is slowly rolling out over the summer and fall, so now is the time to get your website ready for the new algorithm.

Since the update comes from Google and affects your Google search ranking, it’s no surprise that the best tools for measuring your site’s page experience are available from Google. Here’s are five key areas Google will be evaluating:

Mobile-friendliness

The majority of users access the internet via mobile devices. That’s why your website needs to be easily viewed and navigated from various mobile devices. You can achieve mobile-friendliness either by creating your site with mobile-first or responsive design, or by building a separate site specifically designed for mobile users. You can test your site’s mobile-friendliness here.

Safe browsing

Google wants to make sure your site doesn’t contain any malicious or deceptive content such as malware or social engineering. Any site with suspicious activity is considered a threat to the online community. While it’s likely you haven’t intentionally added malware to your site, it’s possible your site has been the subject of cyberattacks. You can test your site’s safe browsing status here.

HTTPS site classification

The S at the end of a site’s URL indicates that a site is secure, which means it encrypts the information transmitted between its server and users. HTTPS sites protect user data, prevent files from being corrupted and build trust with users. This is especially important for websites that collect user information including credit card numbers and passwords.

Ad experience

Intrusive interstitials are pop-up ads that make a page’s content difficult to access, creating a poor user experience. This could mean a pop-up that covers the entire page, one that is difficult to close or a message that isn’t triggered by a user’s action. The biggest exception to the intrusive interstitial criteria is messaging about your site’s privacy policy. Google has put together examples of which pop-ups are intrusive and which ones won’t affect your page’s rankings

Page load speed

Slow loading content may be the biggest reason people leave your site without viewing a single page. Google evaluates the time it takes for an entire page to load and its elements to become interactive for the visitor. Evaluate your site’s page load speed and get specific recommendations here.

Don’t let first impressions become last impressions

The significance of providing a great digital experience isn’t new. In fact, most people will walk away from a brand after just one bad website experience. In many ways, that digital experience starts with a user’s first impression of your site, which is what Google’s Page Experience evaluation boils down to. With this new algorithm, your visitor’s first impression is quantifiable, and can (and will) impact your site’s ranking.

There are dozens of variables that contribute to a site’s SEO ranking, and Google’s new Page Experience algorithm evaluates just a few of those. While following these best practices will move the needle in the right direction for your page ranking, the bottom line is that the site with the best overall experience will come out on top. When you create a website with your target audience in mind, you increase the likelihood that your site visitors will have a positive experience. For a free evaluation of your website content, schedule a call with one of our experts.