Skip to content

Understanding Page Experience: The New Criteria Google is Using to Rank Your Website 

Understanding Page Experience: The New Criteria Google is Using to Rank Your Website 

Google uses a number of factors to determine where your website appears in the results to relevant search queries. Over the past 18 months or so, we’ve talked to you about how important it is for sites to be mobile friendly and secure. Google’s started ranking sites that limit the use of interstitial ads over those that don’t, and the expectation is there that your site offers a safe browsing experience.

Now Google has announced it’s adding a new criteria to the mix: page experience. Paraphrasing from their announcement, Google explains a great page experience as one that enables people to get more done and engage more deeply whereas a bad page experience stands in the way of the user finding out more.

The Three Components of Page Experience

Google has identified Loading, Interactivity, and Visual Stability as the component elements of page experience.

  • Loading is measured by how long it takes for the largest content element to become visible.
  • Interactivity measures how long it takes the browser to respond when a user interacts with an element on your websites, such as clicking a button.
  • Visual Stability is the measure of how much of the content on the screen affected by movement.

You’ll hear Loading, Interactivity, and Visual Stability referred to as core – that’s what Google named them – and if you want the best site ranking possible, you’re going to need to work on your core.

3 + 4 + 1 = 8 Elements Your Site Needs to Rank Well

When Google introduced the elements of Page Experience, they made it clear that they’ll be including it in their site ranking decisions six months from now – in other words, the beginning of 2021. At that point, you’re going to want your website to be performing well in these 8 areas:

  • Loading, Interactivity & Visual Stability: These are the 3 components of page experience.
  • Mobile-Friendliness, Security, Safe Browsing & No Bad Pop-Ups: These are the 4 areas Google has been prioritizing most recently.
  • Unique Quality Content: Google continues to emphasize original, well-crafted content as an extremely important ranking factor.

Get Up to Speed One Step At a Time – But Start Now

Realistically, most retailers and similar small businesses need to have their website in good shape before the holiday shopping season begins. The most efficient way to improve site performance is to do an audit that determines how well you’re currently performing, identifies areas of improvement, and allows for prioritization so you can make the most impactful changes first.

Share This:
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email

Book FREE Trial

We know that getting back into fitness is tough! Let us help you achieve your weight boxing workouts.

Creative Director/Senior Designer

Tom DiGrazia

With over a decade and a half of professional design experience, Tom brings his knowledge of design principles and focus on user experience to every aspect of his contribution to TTG. Paying special attention to each client’s brand, personalized needs and individual interests, he strives to create compelling concepts utilizing intuitive and highly-refined design solutions. In addition to traditional and digital design work and oversight at TTG, Tom also boasts a wide portfolio of web development projects with the company, allowing him to stretch his CSS and HTML skills across multiple platforms and disciplines. He feels that being a designer in the digital landscape of websites, eCommerce solutions, email marketing platforms and social media, it is important to understand the code that goes into these areas as it assists his ability to tailor designs specifically targeted to achieve the best end result and further builds understanding and communication with backend development teams.

In his off hours, Tom is an avid pop culture enthusiast, staying up to date on the latest shows, films, comics and games. He can also typically be found taking part in a whole host of artistic activities that help him further stretch his creative legs. Regardless of the activity, Tom is always accompanied by his dog, Eli, and his cat, Tib.

Specialties:
Design, Photography, Illustration, Digital Imagery Manipulation, Wesbite Development

Platforms/Tools:
Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, HTML/CSS, Wordpress

Analyst/Strategist

Courtney Dumont

As Senior Marketing Strategist & Analyst at Technology Therapy Group, Courtney is energized by the ability to flex both her left and right brain daily. Courtney discovered her passion for Marketing at Bryant University, where she spearheaded research on students’ perceptions of Social Media Marketing for her Honors Capstone Project. After graduating Bryant in 2012, she joined the Technology Therapy team, where she’s honed her skills in social media, search and social advertising, email marketing, SEO, and more.

Since joining the team, Courtney has created digital marketing strategies and managed campaigns for clients across the country, ranging from plastic surgery centers, to jewelry stores, to construction companies. With a cohesive, cross-channel approach and a focus on data-driven decision making, she has increased their leads by up to 217%. But Courtney doesn’t leave her zeal for social media at the office; she also runs a local foodie Instagram account with her husband to document their meals across Rhode Island and beyond. Check them out: @hoppilyfed.

Specialties:
Marketing Strategy, Data Analysis, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Social Media

Platforms/Tools:
Google Analytics, Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Facebook Creator Studio, Instagram, Klaviyo, Mailchimp, Emma Mail, Google Data Studio, WordPress, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Microsoft Office