As the dominant search engine, Google continually refines its algorithms to ensure users have the best possible experience. In recent years, two key factors have emerged as top priorities: page experience and helpful content. This article looks at Google’s published guidelines on these crucial aspects of website optimisation.
Page Experience:
Page experience refers to how users perceive the interaction with a web page beyond its informational content. Google’s mission is to provide users with the most relevant and enjoyable search results, and a positive page experience plays a pivotal role in achieving this goal.
Google has introduced a set of metrics to assess page experience, with Core Web Vitals being at the forefront. These include:
- Loading Performance (LCP – Largest Contentful Paint): It measures how fast a page’s main content loads. Google suggests aiming for an LCP of 2.5 seconds or faster.
- Interactivity (FID – First Input Delay): FID measures the responsiveness of a page when users interact with it. Aiming for an FID of less than 100 milliseconds is recommended.
- Visual Stability (CLS – Cumulative Layout Shift): CLS quantifies the visual stability of a page. Websites should strive for a CLS score of 0.1 or less.
To enhance page experience, webmasters should also ensure their websites are mobile-friendly, secure (HTTPS), and have no intrusive interstitials that disrupt the user’s journey.
Creating Helpful Content:
Beyond page experience, Google emphasises the significance of creating helpful and valuable content for users. Content is still king in the digital world, and Google’s guidelines underscore this point.
Here’s how you can align your content strategy with Google’s principles:
- High-Quality Information: Focus on providing accurate, trustworthy, and well-researched content. Avoid misleading or deceptive information that can harm user trust.
- User Intent: Understand the intent behind users’ queries. The content should directly address their needs and questions. Keyword stuffing and irrelevant content should be avoided.
- Structured Data: Implement structured data markup to help Google understand the content on your pages better. This can enhance your chances of appearing in rich search results like featured snippets.
- Diverse Content Types: Utilise various content formats such as text, images, videos, and infographics to cater to different user preferences.
- Regular Updates: Keep your content fresh and up-to-date. Outdated information can lead to a poor user experience.
- Engage Users: Encourage user engagement through comments, social sharing, and interactive features. A thriving online community can enhance the value of the content.
Google’s guidelines on page experience and helpful content serve as a roadmap for website owners and creators.
By optimising the website to provide a seamless page experience and crafting valuable, user-focused content, you not only align with Google’s objectives but also ensure that your online presence remains relevant and beneficial to your audience.
Staying attuned to these guidelines is not just about impressing search engines; it’s about creating a better online experience for all.
If you want to know more about how improving page content and providing a better user experience can help your business, please get in touch.