It's happened again! Google's released a new algorithm update that will influence SERPs, SEO and website development -- perhaps quite dramatically.
Detailed documentation is here.
To summarize, the new update is all about "Page Experience," and the idea is simple: Users want their information, they want it now, and they want it easy. It's a trend google's been following lately, one that broadens the scope of SEO beyond marketing, content and keyphrases, and into the technical world of development and network management.
Of course, a professionally and properly developed website has always been important, but this new update marks a major shift in that direction. Web pages need to serve content quickly and efficiently, without employing annoying tactics that interrupt browsing like intrusive interstitials, employing poor development decisions that frustrate the user experience (like serving pages with precarious or bloated code just waiting to break), or cheaping out on the hosting environment, such that data transfer is cramped and content trickles to a crawl.
From a user standpoint, this actually sounds like a great idea.
From a developer standpoint, it sure sounds like a great idea, but as with all algorithm updates, it's also a little frightening, because the truth of the matter is, staying on top here isn't about providing a good user experience. It's about proving to Google that you can provide what they claim to be a good user experience, and catering to their criteria. If the algorithm has flaws, misconceptions, or outright bad ideas -- oh well. The hierarchy is clear: We must first appease the algorithm in order to appease our visitors.
Is that a bad thing? You decide. Standards are important; someone has to set them, and Google's in the most powerful position to do so. The good news is, Google is pretty clear about what they want us to do. So, let's consider what's going on here, what the new update implies, and discuss what we can do to make Page Experience excellent -- for Google, and for our visitors.