Orlando Web Design
Earlier this year, Google announced a major change to the way pages are ranked scheduled for 2021. Starting in May 2021, a set of metrics called Core Web Vitals will become a main factor for website ranking. Core Web Vitals indicate how fast a page loads, interactivity and stability of the page. As promised in their initial announcement, Google is giving business owners and web developers a 6 month heads up by confirming this week that the update will take place in May 2021.
Google is also testing a visual symbol that will appear next to your page if it complies fully with their metrics. It’s important to fix any issues on your website so that you are not impacted negatively by the change. However, there’s also an opportunity for increased visibility if you meet their requirements.
Web Developers Prepare for Core Web Vitals Ranking Signal
Screaming Frog created an in-depth report on the percentage of websites across the web that comply with the new Core Web Vitals standards. It turns out that the vast majority of websites are not ready for the upcoming change. These websites will need corrections before May in order to maintain their Google rankings. Screaming Frog found that just 12% of Mobile websites and 13% of Desktop websites the full Core Web Vitals assessment. While 89-99% of websites meet the First Input Delay (FID) standard, less than half of URL’s meet the standard for Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
Learn more about the three Core Web Vitals metrics (FID, LCP, and CLS) and compliance with the new ranking standards.
Image Credit: Screaming Frog
Tests for Google Page Experience Algorithm Update
In order to prepare your website for the May 2021 change, you will need to run tests including Lighthouse and Page Speed Insights to see if your website meets Google’s standards for speed and other factors. Otherwise, you could lose all of your Google rankings overnights when the change goes into effect.
AMP No Longer Required for Featured Snippet
Google is remaining consistent with their earlier announcement stating that AMP will no longer be required for your web page to be selected for a featured story of snippet on Google. The featured snippet is what’s known as the highly sought after “zero” spot in Google.
Orlando Web Design Company
Is your website ready for Core Web Vitals as a Google ranking signal? If you would like the help of web developers with over 15 years of experience to prepare for this change, we are happy to assist you. M5 Design Studio is an Orlando web design company with a passion for helping business succeed. We offer integrated SEO, web development and digital marketing services, so you can trust that our work on your website’s technical issues will also be targeted to increase traffic and sales. Get in touch online for a free consultation or quote or contact us at (407) 968-6296.
