Google’s Core Web Vitals Update is Here! Are You Ready?

It’s no secret that the wheels are constantly turning at Google. Their algorithms and criteria for how to rank your website change on a nearly daily basis. Usually these are micro-updates that Google does not publicize and so even the most experienced SEO agencies, including Smart WSI Marketing, just can’t keep up with. However, when a big one is rolled out we’re among the first to know so that we can pass on the knowledge and benefits to you! Get in touch with us today to learn more about how this latest Google update may impact your current SEO strategy and your page rankings.

What’s Changing

So, what is the Core Web Vitals Update? Basically, there are new metrics that measure your pages’ overall user experience. Google is shifting their focus to gain insights on how real people interact with your page in real time. There are 3 main components to this update.

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) à This is how long it takes a page to load for an actual user. How this differs from other page speed metrics is that it takes into consideration what it’s like for a user to actually open your webpage.
• First Input Delay (FID) à This is how long it takes for a user to actually interact with an element on your page. This could be choosing an option in a menu, clicking on a link, or entering their email into a field. FID shows how real users interact with your website in real time.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) à This is a measure of how stable a page is as it loads. If page elements are bouncing around all over the place as your page loads, it frustrates users, as they will need to look for the appropriate link again or may click the wrong thing by accident.

What Does this Mean for You?

The Core Web Vitals Update is significant because this all translates to new ranking signals! This has an impact on your visibility in search engine results, in turn impacting your traffic and your competitive edge! Ignoring this update could deliver quite a blow to your SEO results. Having poor core web vitals is going to stunt the growth of your audience and can negatively impact the engagement on your website, resulting in higher bounce rates, less time on the page, and ultimately, fewer leads.

Here are a few elements that may affect how your Core Web Vitals score:

• Poor or outdated website technology
• DIY platforms and templated sites
• Images that are not optimized
• Third party scripts
• Excessive code
• And more!

These are, of course, things that are of no concern to Smart WSI Marketing website clients. One of the biggest benefits of working with a digital marketing agency for your web development is that we design custom websites on top-performing SaaS platforms, and optimize all elements of your website for SEO, including adjustments for major Google updates when necessary. Digital marketing experts have the expertise and technological knowledge to set companies up to succeed online in spite of Google algorithm changes.

Are you Nervous?

Before you panic that this latest Google algorithm amendment may kill your website, let’s take a look at the key findings from a recent study by seoClarity. They sampled over a million websites and found:

• 95% of websites already have a “good” CLS score.
• This means only 5% of sites may be affected negatively by the update.
• More websites will be affected by the Core Web Vitals update due to a poor CLS score than FID (3%) or LCP (2%)

Don’t Get Left Behind

The experts at Smart WSI Marketing are not going to let you get left behind. In the wake of the pandemic (that we are all tired of) and an increasingly digital world, your online visibility is more important now than ever before. We have the tools at our disposal to get the most out of your SEO efforts. Get ahead of the competition now by working with your SEO agency to apply the necessary changes your website content may need to help you continue to improve your local online visibility. Call us for a free digital marketing checkup today!

Lynne Motkoski, Marketing Strategist

Specialty: Online Marketing Strategies
Education: MA Communications & Technology, BComm [U Alberta]
Author: The Online Marketing Handbook for Busy Entrepreneurs (coming soon)

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Lynne is known for her strategic approach to marketing communications, technologies, and lead generation. She has a passion for education, keeping up with current marketing trends and practices, and helping clients keep ahead of their competition.

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