User Experience will soon affect your Google ranking – it’s time to get prepared
Google has recently announced a new ranking algorithm, set for introduction in 2021. While search algorithms continually evolve, this rollout will be one of the most significant changes in recent memory. The new update is called the Google Page Experience, and it will affect your ranking on Google by taking your website’s user experience (UX) into consideration.
If you’ve been thinking of updating your website, or if you’ve had feedback from customers who have struggled to navigate your site, now is the time to get prepared and start making changes to your user experience before it’s too late.
What is UX and why is it so important?
Gone are the days where the visual design of a website is the most important factor. There are a lot of “pretty” websites out there today which are difficult to navigate. While the branding and “look” of a website is important, it means nothing if you leave your visitors frustrated every time they visit.
UX can often be ignored because it sounds like “tech jargon”, but it’s actually simple once you understand it. What it really means is how easy it is for visitors to interact with a website. So, UX is about creating a positive experience and feeling. The last thing you want is for a potential customer to feel frustrated and annoyed when visiting your site because they cannot find the information they need. If you can design a website with your audience’s needs in mind, they’ll come back time and time again, and most importantly, refer and recommend you to their friends and family.
When thinking about the UX of your website, there’s a few important considerations you need to make:
- Clear navigation – Can the visitor find the information they need? And, can they easily switch between pages of the website?
- Performance – Is the website sluggish and slow to load? It has been shown that 53% of consumers will leave a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load (4).
- Readability – is the website text-heavy? Is the text easy to read? Does the website help to lead the visitors eye to the information they want to find?
- Responsiveness – Is your website optimised for mobile? While a website can look great on a desktop, studies have shown that 52.1% of people use their phones to search online (2).
If you can improve the UX of your website, and put your visitors first, you can dramatically improve your business and revenue moving forward.
So, what does your Google ranking have to do with UX?
Studies show that just 3% of searchers look past the first page of results on Google (5). This means that if your business isn’t listed on page 1 of Google search results, it likely isn’t getting seen. In addition to this, 55% of searchers don’t venture beyond the first 3 results listed (5). In order to grow your business, you need to be seen, and showing up on Google is one of the most important things a business can do to reach customers.
Unfortunately, getting your business found on Google is not as easy as pressing “publish” and sending your website off into the online abyss. Your UX will be just one piece of the ranking pie, as you also need to take SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), SEM (Search Engine Marketing), keywords, and business listings into consideration.
The new Google Page Experience will use a number of criteria in order to assess the UX of a site, and therefore determine the subsequent Google ranking, of each website. These metrics include load time, mobile friendliness, content, and the use of HTTPS within a website, as well as the presence of ads. Each of these items will have their own unique weight and score within the algorithm, which combined will lead to the overall ranking of a website.
How you can improve UX on your website
There are no shortcuts to creating a website which visitors enjoy using. A lot can be said for the time spent researching, designing, and thinking about your website’s experience. While most of the components required to improve UX will need to be carried out by a developer, there’s a few things you can do yourself to improve the overall look and feel of your site.
Learn more about how you can improve the UX of your website by reading the article here.
GippsTech
- GippsTech
GippsTech is a locally-grown social enterprise that helps regional businesses get the most out of their technology. We put you and the community first, helping you grow with cutting-edge skills that have been honed via our past experience with companies like Google, ANZ Bank, CSIRO, and the very best of the startup community.
We provide web design and development, digital marketing, and reliable technology solutions that keep your business growing, predictable, and secure. Our suite of services can support any business - from complimentary advice in the early stages of a project through to bespoke commercial solutions that scale with your business growth. Our team can help your business and its challenges with reliable expertise, world-class technology skills, and no complex jargon.