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What to do if your website loses traffic in the May 2021 update

Last Updated on Jul 28, 2022 by Numinix Developer

If you haven’t heard about the upcoming May 2021 SEO update to Google’s algorithm, you may want to continue reading this blog to learn more about the recent addition known as Page Experience. While this new initiative is said to enhance the user’s web experience, the launch will also impact your website’s ability to rank. Let’s take a closer look at what you can expect. 

A summary of the update

  • The updated algorithm will be referred to as Page Experience
  • It will include existing Google Search Signals (i.e., mobile-friendliness, safe-browsing, HTTPS, and intrusive interstitial guidelines)
  • It will also include Google’s Core Web Vitals metrics (i.e., loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability)
  • Website owners should be prioritizing optimization for mobile, improving page speeds, CTAs, and alt text for images

What to expect from Google Page Experience – May 2021 SEO update

Google’s Page Experience will alter all aspects of how the user interacts with a website, which includes all of the existing Google Search Signals and metrics that were mentioned in the above summary. 

Here are some specifics of Google’s Core Web Vitals: 

  • Loading: In terms of the May 2021 SEO update, loading refers to the measurement of perceived load speed. This is the point in the page’s load timeline where the main website content is fully visible and functional. 
  • Interactivity: A click (or tap from a smartphone) refers to when a user first interacts with the page and the time it takes for the browser to process that interaction. 
  • Visual stability: No one enjoys the unexpected movement of the page’s content and the Google Page Experience update will prevent this annoying occurrence.

While your website may already be optimized for some of these factors, we always recommend improving page speed to make your website faster during ongoing updates. After all, every extra second your page takes to load for the visitor, the higher the probability of them leaving the page, lowering your conversion rate. 

Google’s Page Experience May 2021 SEO update aims to bring as many aspects together to positively impact organic search results for business owners and users. However, a great page experience should never override well-developed page content.

Expect visual indicators soon

Since Google can’t do it all in one go, the development of visual indicators to designate search results that meet all Page Experience specifications can be expected by next year. Since we know that these indicators will be displayed prominently in the search results, websites meeting the standards of Google’s Page Experience will likely be preferred over others. This means that you should start planning before visual indicators are putting your competitor’s websites on display. 

How will the May 2021 update impact e-commerce businesses?

The metrics taken by the new Google Page Experience will greatly affect current optimization strategies used to improve search rankings, which is why you must implement the right cues to guide consumers to your website. Since a fast page experience heightens visitors’ engagement and allows them to seamlessly shop, this new benchmark will need to be met to prevent a significant drop in web traffic. 

What is the definition of a bad page experience?

Before you can understand how to improve your page experience, you must first know how to recognize a bad page experience.

  • Slow page speeds: We all get frustrated waiting for slow websites to load, and even a few seconds can be enough to put off our desired purchases. 
  • Poor design: While page load times are significant, the design and navigation of your website are equally as important. Be sure that your content is structured aesthetically and that all the information about your products and services is available for easy viewing. 
  • Low engagement: While your mission is to sell products and services, today’s consumers also want to be entertained and engage with your brand. This is why likeability is an important factor. 

Tips to boosting page experience

Even if this 2021 SEO update doesn’t affect your business right away, this is a gentle reminder that improving page speed is essential to the success of your online business. 

Here are some ways to make your website faster than ever:

  • Optimize for mobile search: With more people than ever conducting their shopping through the use of smart devices, optimizing for mobile devices has never been more important. This means that your website should be optimized with a simple, responsive design that matches the experience consumers would get if they shopped from their desktop. 
  • Improve page speeds: Delayed load times are inconvenient to the consumer and are one of the easiest ways to fix your website’s conversion rate. While the ideal page load time is three seconds, the quicker your browser captures the content, the happier your customers will be. 
  • Separate your call-to-actions (CTAs): Promoting interaction is as easy as developing the right form of communication. Whether you install a “contact us” button, a box for email signup, or a calendar for appointments, every CTA must be prominently displayed to enhance your page. Naturally, they should also be bright and positioned well. 
  • Use alt text for images: While image compression is a great way to speed up page load times, using alt text is a way to increase your page ranking. Alt text is an HTML code that describes the look and function of the image which helps search engine crawlers for indexing. This method will go a long way in helping your site’s organic search results. 

Do you have any questions about the Google Page Experience May 2021 SEO update? Drop them in the comments section below.

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