Introduction
As a digital marketing agency, this is one of the most frequent questions we’ve been asked in recent months. In November 2020, Google announced it would start considering User Experience (UX) as a ranking factor.
The update is rolling out gradually. It began in June 2021 and didn’t start impacting rankings until August 2021. This is unusual because most search engine updates arrive with little or no warning.
Should businesses panic? No. UX has influenced rankings indirectly for years. What’s changing is that poor user experiences will now hurt you more directly. A bad experience drives people away, raising bounce rates, lowering pages per session, and reducing time on site. All of these signals contribute to weaker rankings.
Google explains: “The page experience signal measures aspects of how users perceive interacting with a web page… Optimizing these factors makes the web more delightful for users and helps sites evolve toward expectations on mobile.”
The big shift is that page experience signals are now direct ranking factors. This levels the playing field, allowing sites with better UX to outrank bigger brands with weak experiences. At Estes Media, we’ve analyzed the update to guide our clients in adapting to this new SEO reality.
Prioritize User-Friendly Browsing
Targeting is one of the first areas to review when improving digital ads. Many brands understand targeting, but we often see audiences that are either far too narrow or too broad.
If your net is too small, you miss potential buyers. If it’s too wide, you waste money reaching irrelevant audiences. The key is balance.
Example: a men’s tie company shouldn’t only target bankers and financial advisors. They should also target significant others, people preparing for weddings, or anyone in peak gifting season.
Other factors to consider include location, demographics, and behavior. The right targeting strategy ensures you reach enough people — and the right ones.
Be Aware of The Page Experience Score
Google offers several free tools that now feed into an overall “page experience” score. This is one of the biggest changes in the update.
Metrics like bounce rate and session duration always mattered, but they’re now combined into a direct ranking signal. That makes monitoring your page experience critical.
We recommend using tools such as:
- SEMrush
- PageSpeed Insights
- Lighthouse
- Screaming Frog
These help identify weak spots and opportunities for improvement. Ranking well for your chosen keywords now requires strong SEO and solid UX working together.
Optimize Your Page For Mobile
Mobile is no longer a secondary priority. A site that isn’t optimized will lose visibility.
Run Google’s mobile-friendly test to uncover errors. Common issues include:
- Text that’s too small
- Content wider than the screen
- Incompatible plugins
- Sites not running on HTTPS
Don’t assume your site is fine. Test it on multiple devices and screen sizes. You may find problems that frustrate users and cost you rankings.
Focus on Quality Content
Some feared that UX would replace content as the top ranking factor. That’s not true. Google has been clear: high-quality, relevant content remains king.
User experience is now a major factor, but content still drives authority and engagement. Customers want their questions answered with clarity and detail.
Make sure your content meets expectations. Superior UX without valuable content won’t get you very far.
Top Stories is More Important
On mobile, the “Top Stories” box has always been highly desirable. In the past, it prioritized AMP-formatted pages.
With this update, non-AMP pages can now compete for placement. That means more opportunities for brands that didn’t want to use AMP’s restrictive framework.
Current AMP pages won’t be penalized, but competition will grow as more publishers enter the space. For organizations producing timely content, this is a huge chance to gain visibility.
Conclusion
A/B split testing has been around long before social media advertising, but it’s more relevant than ever. Small tests can reveal what works for your brand and help refine strategies in real time.
Whenever Google rolls out new updates, jargon and technical details can overwhelm. Don’t get lost in the noise. Remember Google’s ultimate goal: to deliver the best results to the right users at the right time.
If you stay focused on creating valuable content and optimizing the user experience, your SEO strategy will stay strong. By aligning with these priorities, your site will continue to perform — even as algorithms evolve.
