Google Page Experience: Upcoming Search Ranking Change

[engine]

Google is planning a search ranking change incorporating Core Web Vitals [webmasterworld.com], and planning for the new algorithm to roll out in 2021.

The User Experience is to be come a ranking factor.

We will introduce a new signal that combines Core Web Vitals with our existing signals for page experience to provide a holistic picture of the quality of a user’s experience on a web page. As part of this update, we'll also incorporate the page experience metrics into our ranking criteria for the Top Stories feature in Search on mobile, and remove the AMP requirement from Top Stories eligibility. Google continues to support AMP, and will continue to link to AMP pages when available. We’ve also updated our developer tools to help site owners optimize their page experience.

[webmasters.googleblog.com...]

[JesterMagic]

It seems like AMP was always just a stop gap solution to the problem I guess.

This seems to indicate only the basic page experience metrics are currently being used for ranking (not that I can tell when I see some of the slow sites that rank)

[tangor]

Will be interesting to see what g determines to be Core Web Vitals as time goes by. Wonder if that will last as long as the AMP push did?

[samwest]

Every result page in the serps will become a Pinterest page. That currently appears to be THEIR idea of a quality user experience.

[Alphawave2000]

On one of their pages they said it will be a small ranking signal and great content will still be more important.

[iamlost]

Yah riiight...

Only for ‘top stories’ mobile search is a pretty limited rollout; can you say beta trial...

If ‘great content’ is going to be a stronger signal than this new mixed in ‘core web vitals’ it’s impact is likely less than minimal...

The biggest problem Google has is that if they really truly extend these ‘core web vitals’ to general search it will drop many/most/all enterprise entertainment, news, sports, and similar sites right out of query results; which is not going to happen.

G continues to hype ‘do what we say’ aka provide great user experience while consistently rewarding those that don’t. Hypocrisy thy name is Google.

Almost from the beginning G has enforced quite different standards in different categories/verticals. As enterprise joined the web it increasingly became a special treatment category within each already uniquely vertical allowed behaviours. Plus the weird affinity boost for particular SM platforms at various times (eg current Pinterest across the board).

Sorry, but I see this as yet more self righteous marketing hype back patting. I’d like to proven wrong but the historical record...

[tangor]

Almost from the beginning g has their vision of the "perfect page" and has done all they can to get webmasters world wide to follow their blueprint.

Real world is not that way ... and their blueprint is not that accurate ... they want folks to do it THEIR way so their job will be easier.

I give this three years before they never say they quit using it. MEANWHILE, an untold number of webmasters will run through hoops chasing this mysterious Core Web Vitals in the hopes of actually making any money.

Been there, never played the game, and still exist---rather pleasantly---through each of these iterations.

Make changes if it makes sense to do so. Change if there's an obvious benefit to do so (that's rarely ever been revealed). Change out of panic and you change your chances such as following AMP down the rabbit hole (example).

[aristotle]

if they really truly extend these ‘core web vitals’ to general search it will drop many/most/all enterprise entertainment, news, sports, and similar sites right out of query results

Those big enterprise sites have such strong positive algorithmic signals overall that adding a minor "core vitals" signal to the equation wouldn't have much effect on their google rankings.

[tangor]

^^^ besides ... g won't bite the hand that feeds them.

At least not yet!

</a not that silly chuckle>

[samwest]

FIX THE PINTEREST BUG!

[Achernar]

The problem with google since many months now (years?), is that they don't fix anything. Or if it is miraculously fixed, it's broken again on the next update.

I'm seeing this with their websites ; eg. the css of the search homepage is broken since at least april. The "settings" menu is displayed behind the search form (transparent) and the top items are unclickable (the height of the page must be small so that the 2 elements overlap), I use a userstyle to fix that. <snip>

the way they handle google alerts; many spam sites still being recommended even after systematically clicking on "flag as irrelevant"

and how they handle extension updates ; we, as devs, are supposed to be able to interact with the reviewers, but...

[edited by: Robert_Charlton at 4:51 pm (utc) on Jun 4, 2020]
[edit reason] Removed Google SEO News Charter violation [/edit]

[EditorialGuy]

This isn't going to happen until 2021. I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it in the meantime, since it's obviously a work in progress.

[JaneSEO]

Already looking at Core Web Vitals in the GSC. Interesting data already to show what they are looking for. Shared this with our IT team today to start digging in.

[engine]

Welcome to WebmasterWorld JaneSEO.

Keep us updated with your discoveries.

[samwest]

Anyone ever consider the user experience of a tiny mobile phone screen? Tried shopping today on a major clothing store site and was completely unable to make a purchase with any confidence simply because of the limited amount of data that can be seen at any one time. Since the mobile phone arrived on scene, I have yet to make a purchase using my mobile device, a Samsung S9. For me, the experience is poor at best.
All purchases are made on desktop...and for me, always will be.

To me, viewing the web on mobile is like reading a paper dictionary (remember those?) through a straw.

Unfortunately, then next generation grew up with the limited experience of mobile and some can't afford both mobile and desktop devices. That's been a major driving force for losses in my online business, due to less than optimum user experience on tiny screens, especially when what you sell is informational and best viewed on large screens...wonder how that will work into their next punitive GPE update. Hopefully not another "one size fits all" change.

Finally, will they push for more ADA compliance for older "visually challenged" users (like myself) for whom AMP is pretty much useless? That is a very large part of user experience for me.

[SweetPotato]

Such arrogance talking about 2021 as if we would survive 2020.

[JesterMagic]

@samwest. I've bought a few items from amazon that I had ordered from them before. Other than that no. Researching items on a phone with the small screen and all the ads displayed is a joke.

I don't even like using my phone for writing emails, everything is to cramped and the keyboards suck. A lot of people skip even buying laptops now and just use their phone... crazy I say!

Anyways we are in the minority and have to learn to adapt to changing markets.

I am looking forward to the day it makes sense price wise to get one of those new foldable screen phones.

[TalkativeEditorial]

From what we see so far, Core Vitals aren't using AMP pages when running its "Page Insights" tests. And bizarrely, the biggest issues highlight come from Google's own ads being served on pages.

[samwest]

@jester...or a a big screen TV that integrates a PC / browser with a wireless keyboard and air mouse, like my trusty old Gyration.
When that day arrives, we might see a rise in user experience again. (probably just gave some TV mfg or Google a billion dollar idea). lol
In the mean timer, yes, small screen mobile devices are a joke and for the visually impaired, like I am slowly becoming...a likely violation of the ADA.

[JS_Harris]

Write for people they say as you literally write for an algorithm's evaluation.

When you tell a person "those widgets were awesome" they get it. An algorithm will go "huh, which widgets? What kind of widgets were they? What color? Shape? Size? Smell? Taste? How heavy? Awesome how? etc?

[westcoast]

The thing that has me pulling my hair out with frustration is that the ONLY THING hurting "core web vitals" on my website is... drum roll... GOOGLE ADSENSE.

For the love of god. Just including the CODE for adsense with no ads loaded puts "time to interactive" into the warning zone on my site.

This is utterly ridiculous. Google's OWN PRODUCT has thrown our site's "vitals" into abysmal territory. I'm getting thousands of page warnings about "pages shifting" (thanks to adsense responsive ads which they heavily push). I'm getting "slow load times" according to google because of google's own product.

This is so stupid I don't even know where to begin. I'm going to get penalized BY GOOGLE for hosting ads RUN BY GOOGLE, that makes revenue FOR GOOGLE?

What the actual Fck. It's like I'm living in the twilight zone here.