Google Page Experience determines the quality of user experience when accessing your site. Google uses various signals to determine your ranking on search results, and the signals on the update of Google Page Experience will include that. These include the site’s speed, mobile-friendliness, security, safety, and intrusiveness of interstitials. Of course, providing high-quality content is still the best way to rank on search engine results. However, these other signals could still help improve your ranking, especially if your competitors also offer excellent content. As of this writing, the update is slowly being rolled out, and Google is looking to complete it by August 31, 2021. Below are things to consider on your WordPress web design to ensure that it works well with the Google Page Experience update.
Determine the current page experience of your site
If you already have an existing WordPress site, there are various tools you can use to check your site’s performance with Google Page Experience and its new signals or metrics. One of them is Google Search Console. Also, a quick search on the web with the keywords “Google Page Experience checking tools” will give you a list of results, and many of them are free to use. It will help you determine your current standing and know which areas you need to improve on. Also, a quick search on the web with the keywords “Google Page Experience checking tools” or “Web Reporter Tool” will give you a list of results, and many of them are free to use
Ensure your site is mobile-friendly with a good WordPress web design
There are also tools to use for checking the mobile-friendliness of your WordPress site. One of the best ways to make it friendly for mobile users is to use a responsive WordPress theme. A responsive website will display correctly on any device, including mobile phones. Use bigger buttons so that users can easily tap them even when they have a smaller screen. Keep the font style and size easy to read for mobile users. Your site should also be easy on the eye because it will be harder to navigate on mobile if it’s all over the place. These all contribute to customer satisfaction and online reputation.
Find broken links and fix them
Broken links contribute to the slowness of the page. Search engines try to access them, and when the page no longer exists or has errors, it slows down the load time. Check your site for these links and fix or remove them. Other things that might affect the speed of your site are heavy flash and large videos and images. While flash can add to your aesthetics, it can slow down your site. Make sure to minimize its use. You can also use tools to decrease the size of videos or images while still ensuring their quality.
Ensure your SSL certificate is valid
A valid SSL certificate will ensure the security of your site. Keep your SSL up to date so Google will mark you as a secured site, which will improve your ranking on the search results. Check with your web developer about this since it’s usually included in their service. There are also free tools that you can use to install SSL on your site, like ZeroSSL.
Keep your site safe from hackers and malware
Ensure that your WordPress theme is updated, and so are your plugins. Outdated applications make your site vulnerable to hackers and other malicious programs. Also, make sure that you only use plugins from trusted providers. Check user reviews before using one on your site.
Avoid intrusive interstitials
Intrusive interstitials are ads that cover the main content that users are trying to access or take most of the space of the accessed page. You may use interstitials in your site but make sure that they are non-intrusive. Users should still conveniently access the content they wish to see without delay from these ads or taking over most of the page, making it difficult to read it.
Conclusion
Make your WordPress website ready for the Google Page Experience update. It will ensure that your site will remain competitive when it comes to search rankings.
