By Google just announced a new algorithm update is rolling out, one we have been waiting on since last year, a Page Experience Update for desktop searches.
This Page Experience Update has a lot in common with the mobile-focused one that rolled out last summer and wreaked havoc on website rankings for weeks. For starters they both have the same goal: To make webpages better for users by rewarding faster loading, more secure, and less shifting sites with higher rankings in the search engine. And, also because both took quite a bit of time to roll out.
The Desktop Page Experience Update started rolling out on February 22nd and will not be completed until the end of March. If history repeats itself, the real end date will probably be around the first or second week of April intead.
There is one major distinction though, the Desktop Page Experience does not take into account “mobile friendliness”.
Here is everything we know about the Google Search June 2021 Core Update
Desktop Page Experience (2022) Update Vitals
- Date Started: February 22, 2022 (Global)
- Date Completed: March 3rd, 2022
- First Impact Reported: Unknown
- Most Impacted Industry(ies): Unknown
- Most Impacted Site(s): Unknown
- Most Impacted Website Types: Unknown
- Most Impacted Content Types: Unknown
- SEO Change Proven to Improve: Unknown
Known Issues
nothing yet
Documentation
Google has a timeline for this update on their website here – February 22, 2022: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/11/bringing-page-experience-to-desktop
Changes to Google
We are not currently aware of any unqiue changes this brings to the algorithm or SERPs display of Google’s results beyond the changes that occured during the Mobile Page Experience Update in 2021.
Media Coverage of Google’s Page Experience Update
Search Engine Round Table – https://www.seroundtable.com/google-page-experience-update-for-desktop-live-32969.html
Google Page Experience Update Help
What to do if you were impacted by the Google Desktop Page Experience (2022) Algorithm Update
It is possible that your website will be impacted and lose rankings during this update or that you gain rankings. This could impact your revenue immediately or slowly over time. To remmedy this I would recommend focusing on why your website is loading so slow.
For WordPress websites you can consult our Technical SEO Guide for WordPress which layouts many of the common reasons for slow loading sites using that CMS. Also, clients that use our WordPress SEO services get access to a massive library full of premium plugins that help make sites load faster inclduing WP Rocket, Asset Cleanup Pro, and Imagify.
Here are some of our tips from the Mobile Page Experience Update (2021) that also apply to the Desktop Page Experience Update (2022):
- SSL / HTTPS – Make sure your website has at least a free SSL certificate. This should be something that auto-renews. Talk with your hosting provider to make sure you have this capability to avoid future headaches.
- Compress your images – Use a service like Kraken to compress images on the web before you upload or like Imagify to automatically compress images when you upload them.
- DNS Prefetch – Use DNS prefetch tags to ensure all required third-party content is loaded before your page code, this makes your pages appear faster to users. [how to do this on Shopify]
- Use fewer apps / plugins – As a general rule apps/plugins for a CMS tend to slow your site down. Not all of them do this, so be cautious about what you remove in hopes of improving for this new ranking factor.
- Use VPS hosting at a minimum – While more expensive than shared hosting, VPS hosting will avoid nasty issues that often come with shared plans (especially Host Gator or Bluehost). Cloud hosting can also be a viable option.
- Use a CDN – Cloudflare is probably the most familiar and is a great choice, but there are others too.
- Do not display annoying interstitials – Used by gurus and news sites alike, these tend to degrade the user experience but can also be an effective marketing tool. If you do use them make the close button highly visible and give a few moments before showing them.
- Keep an SEO in the loop – An SEO that is up-to-date on Core Web Vitals / Page Experience should be included at all stages of UX, design, and marketing when it comes to adding things to your website. If you do not include them until after decisions are made you will run the risk of harming your website’s rankings.