Google is updating its search ranking algorithm in May 2021 to include page experience signals. These signals include core web vitals (largest contentful paint, first input delay, cumulative layout shift), mobile-friendliness, safe-browsing, HTTPS-security, and intrusive interstitial guidelines (popups).

What does this mean for your website? If your website provides a fantastic user experience, Google will reward you with higher rankings (=more organic traffic), and vice versa.

What does this mean for you as a web professional? It’s a fantastic opportunity for you to push harder for the updates to web content and design that your higher ed institution has been slow to get around to, because the increase or decrease in organic traffic can affect your bottom line.

In this presentation, I will provide an overview of each page experience signal, how to measure and take stock of your current state, and what you can do to optimize your page experience.