Google announced in 2020 that it would be making page experience a bigger factor in page rank. For those that don’t follow the intricacies of SEO, it just means Google combined and boosted some search signals, putting more emphasis on how people experience your pages.

What does that mean for home improvement website marketing? We’ve broken down some of the basics below.

Core Web Vitals

Google uses a tool called Core Web Vitals to measure user experience on webpages. This tool takes into account factors such as page load times, whether interactive elements on page respond quickly and work correctly, and the overall stability of visual elements. A page that loads quickly, is easy to use, and includes visual transitions that are logical and easy to follow typically scores high.

So, a slow carousel of your window products? Yes. A rapidly scrolling train of gallery photos without an option to pause the pictures? No.

Other Page Experience Signals

Along with Core Web Vitals, Google considers four major page experience signals to arrive at the total Page Experience ranking factor:

• Mobile-friendliness. This is nothing new. Your web pages must be responsive so they show up on all types of screens well.
• Safe browsing: People want to ensure they’re landing on and interacting with secure websites, and Google wants to serve up what the people want. Google provides webmasters (that’s the person who owns or runs the website) with tools to reduce security risks on their pages, and doing so could help you achieve a bump in the search results.
• HTTPS > HTTP. HTTPS sites are more secure. Consumers and Google like to see that.
• No intrusive interstitials. Intrusive interstitials are simply elements on your page that get in the way of the content for the user. Popups are a common example: If you have a popup on your page, make sure it’s super easy to clear so the user can get to the content. For example, you might have an offer for 10% off new window installation services you want to promote; simply build a “no thanks” button that’s easy to see so people can click or tap to bypass the interstitial and get right to the content they came for.

Does Google Page Experience Matter for Home Improvement Marketing?

Yes, because Google is using these factors to determine which pages pop to the top of the search results pages. If you’re already paying attention to user experience on your site, though, you’re likely doing what you need to avoid serious SEO trouble.