For newer company owners just getting their stride in their chosen industry, the idea of trying to develop a solid marketing strategy can be somewhat overwhelming. After all, print marketing might have been a mainstay, but it is slowly but surely outliving its usefulness — especially with the pandemic causing so many lockdowns. To develop a decent marketing strategy, the best thing to do would be to focus on search engine optimization (SEO) to ensure that there is always a foundation in the digital marketing landscape.
While there have been plenty of tried and tested methods to help a company get the edge over its competitors with the help of SEO solutions, there is one caveat when it comes to digital marketing through SEO. The whims of Google will always dictate the marketing industry. It is the reason why the moment Google decides to present an update to the search algorithm, just about every company and agency interested in digital marketing will take note — and why technical SEO services continue to grow in popularity.
For the year 2021, the big change is coming in the form of Google’s Page Experience Update. Many companies are already making preparations, as the update comes with a particularly interesting change that could very well shift the digital marketing industry over its head.
What will Google’s Page Experience Update do?
In a nutshell, Google’s Page Experience Update is all about placing more of an emphasis on user-friendliness and the user experience (UX), hence the title of the update. It seems like a simple thing at face value, but search engine optimization is set to change due to how the algorithm might index websites. It is the very reason why technical search engine optimization is making waves, as it involves making changes to the infrastructure to make the site easier to index overall. The changes often involve tossing away overly complicated designs and going with designs that get to the point.
While technical SEO might not necessarily be immediately visible to those inexperienced with the inner workings of web design, the idea of technical SEO represents principles that even newer companies can use to design the website.
How preparation involves focusing on simplicity
Considering that the Page Experience Update is all about ranking websites higher based on their design, it is no wonder why many businesses are looking to optimize their websites as soon as possible. It also helps to ensure that the company takes steps in the mobile market, as most online users prefer to use their phones when browsing the Internet. Even if people might be spending more time at home due to the pandemic, there is no denying the fact that a vast majority still prefers to use mobile apps over browser versions.
Considering that the new algorithm update — set to go live in May — is all about user-friendliness, it would be wise for newer companies to learn all about what makes websites tick, and how to ensure that the user experience is prioritized over just about everything else. After all, who knows how much Google will focus on the UX of a website when the update finally goes live? It always pays to err on the side of caution, which is why web optimization is the best bet to get Google’s attention when ranking company websites.
How do you ensure my website is ready?
Aside from taking steps to make the website more user-friendly for the mobile market, there are quite a few ways to prepare for the coming update. A few essential tips include:
- Utilizing technical SEO services. As stated above, technical SEO is one of the more subtle ways of getting the attention of the Google algorithm. While it will not necessarily guarantee that the website will immediately be ranked when using technical SEO, it does guarantee that the infrastructure is well-suited for Google’s indexing services. Considering that every little bit counts, having technical SEO as one of the first lines of defense will surely help even startups maintain their drive in the new year.
- Keeping the loading times down. As far as the user experience goes, most people will not even bother with a website that takes too long to load. The trouble comes from the fact that it can be quite challenging to keep loading times down without the necessary experience. For example, loading times do not just increase from widgets and various site accessories. It is not always immediately obvious why a site might take too long to load, but it likely has to do with image quality. High-quality images are fantastic, but it would be wise to go with the correct resolution to ensure that the loading times are not fully affected.
- Ensure there are no broken or dead links. For a company website with hundreds of pages, trying to look for dead links can be a real chore. However, such an effort is crucial if the company intends to make full use of the Page Experience Update. To help keep online users happy, the best thing to do would be to scour the site for potentially broken links and restore it. It will not take much effort for a new company site, but for an older site, things can get tricky.
- Get straight to the point! Last but certainly not least, the one rule of thumb to follow for the Page Experience Update would be to ensure that most of the content is short and sweet (except articles). Online users can tell if a company respects their time, and they are more likely to have a good time on a site that provides what they need as soon as possible.
Aside from the many tips above, keep in mind that Google will continue to provide updates as time goes on. The best-practice methods above are great, though the use of technical SEO services is still entirely recommended as it offers a good foundation not just for the website, but for a full-proof digital marketing strategy. It might take time and effort to get the job done, but it is well worth it!
