June is Almost Here…Is Your Website Ready For Google’s Major Changes?

Google will add additional criteria to its search ranking algorithm…here’s a quick primer on what that means to you and to your website…

You’ve probably heard about several major Internet and tech changes that’ll arrive in 2021…a few have already been implemented, and others are almost here.

…and, there’s one that’ll arrive shortly that will have a significant—a very significant—impact on your website and online marketing…and thus, to your business.

Because, for many companies, their website is their greatest online asset.

And, websites can flourish when they rank high in Google searches. If they rank.

But…

There’s a BIG change coming to Google in little more than a month. It is big, and it could affect your business…because it’s going to affect your website rankings.

And yes, Google will start rolling it out in mid-June, 2021. 

Are you ready?

I’ll tell you all about the changes below, but first, here’s a story illustrating what could happen…

In a recent sales and marketing position I had here in Lancaster County, PA, I sometimes found myself walking at night—alone—in a large, nearly windowless 3?section warehouse filled with pallets of Post cereal, Welch’s juices and lots of other nearly expired food.

(That was the company’s business—selling short-dated food to discount stores.)

However, the boxes I sold of consumer electronics, tee shirts and truck accessories were also palleted…and were scattered around the marginally lit warehouse.

One night, I was alone and was walking around looking for boxes of unsorted Bluetooth headsets (or something similar). I could see what was here and what was over there in the warehouse…and then the lights went out.

Instantly, the entire warehouse was, as they say…pitch black.

And instantly, I couldn’t see a thing…I couldn’t find a thing.

Nothing.

It was a very eerie feeling standing there in the dark, all alone…

And in little more than a month, the same ‘instant darkness’ could happen to people searching for your website…one moment some might find it, and the next…

…darkness.

So, what’s Coming in June 2021?

In mid-June, Google will begin to implement significant changes to its website-ranking criteria.

You know, the rankings that drive organic traffic to your website and mine…or to our competitors’ websites.

In short, Google will rank websites with the best content and the best user experience at the top of their search engine results pages (SERPs).

Period.

To do this, they’ll continue to use their existing ranking signals (there are already more than 200 of them), and will add to them even more criteria that will rank each webpage’s mobile friendliness, security, lack of distractions…and more.

And importantly, Google will use what they call their Core Web Vitals—three criteria that rank a webpage’s speed and stability while it loads on a mobile device.

Why is Google making the change?

Well, let’s look at it from Google’s point of view…

• Google owns about 92% of the market share of all Internet searches. Yes, you read that correctly…more than 9/10ths of all searches happen on Google!
• In 2020, Google’s total revenues amounted to $182B, of which $147B (81%) was from ads (these numbers are rounded…but only a little).
• Take a deep breath and ponder the above huge numbers for a moment…
• So, Google has an extremely vested interest in keeping searchers very happy and in making sure they find what they want.
• And what’s at the top of the list that searchers want? Great content…and a great browsing experience when they find it.

These new ranking criteria are how Google—in their infinite digital wisdom—will offer users the best content and best experience, beginning in mid-June 2021.

What will the new and improved website rankings involve?

Let’s break it down a bit.

First, great content: At the top of Google’s rankings criteria will be great content —still. It’s been the top criterion for years, and it’s still at the top.

• Great content is simply high-quality, relevant information—the kind that users are seeking…like great training about how to invest in the bond market…or why the newest Dell laptop ranks highest…or how to make the best smoked ribs…or…well, you get the picture.
• Content will continue be preeminent in Google’s rankings criteria.
• Thus, quality content is the most valuable asset you can have on your website.
• So, if your website is loaded with solid user-desired content, and additional high?value content is added regularly, that’s great.
• If not, that could be why your site doesn’t rank well now, and might rank much lower after the changes are implemented.

Then, Google will weight users’ experiences on your webpages very heavily.

• Google wants mobile first, not just mobile friendly, websites.
• Google will base your webpage search ranking on the mobile version of your website, not on your desktop version.
• You can expect to see websites that’re still configured for desktop and laptop screens watch their rankings sharply decrease…and maybe vanish.
• Incidentally, your website should already be mobile first. Why? Because viewing habits have changed greatly in the past several years.
• Up to 70 percent of web traffic (or more) now comes from mobile devices.
• This includes 95.1% of active Facebook traffic, more than 70% of YouTube watch time, and 57% of LinkedIn traffic.
• And, a mobile-first format contributes greatly to an improved user experience (UX) on a mobile phone or tablet.

Then, there are Google’s Core Web Vitals and other User Experience criteria

• Google will use a new set of three criteria—which they call their Core Web Vitals—to evaluate the site’s user experience.
• These involve a webpage’s loading performance: the most important webpage elements should show up fast, the page should finish loading quickly, and its page elements (text blocks, graphics, etc.) shouldn’t jump around while loading.
• The webpage’s quickness in responding to user input such as clicking, scrolling and typing will also play a factor.
• Google will also use four additional criteria that also contribute to a positive user experience…
• Like safe browsing. Websites should run on HTTPS (the secure HTTP protocol), and have no malicious or deceptive content.
• And no distractions. Pages should have no (or, very few) distractions, such as intrusive ads or popups (ugh). Remember, mobile screens don’t have much real estate, so they have very little room for such things.

What’s acceptable to Google

• Exit-behavior popups
• Small top- or bottom-of-page slide-in banners
• Popups that appear when a reader moves from one page to another

What’s not acceptable to Google:

• Popups that block content until they’re clicked or closed
• Full-screen popups (ugh…ugh).

The above seven new search signals (criteria) that Google will use are shown in the simple graphic below from SearchEngineJournal.com.

The bottom line: Google wants its users to have the quickest access to the top?quality content they’re searching for.

So, Who’s Ready?

A study done last August showed that less than 15% of all websites were ready, and as of mid-April 2021 most websites are still not ready.

However, you’ve undoubtedly seen a lot of mobile-first websites in your recent web browsing—they have different graphics dimensions and layout, and a different ‘feel’ than traditional webpages. So, someone’s making the changes.

But, as noted above, most websites aren’t ready yet.

So, websites that have been prepared for Google’s new ranking criteria will do well after the new criteria are fully implemented.

Those websites that haven’t been updated…well, probably not. Like the pallets in my warehouse after it went pitch black, they probably won’t be found.

So, your big question: what should you do about it?

If you’ve already given your website a makeover—it’s mobile-configured, loads fast, looks great and is packed with great articles, blog posts and other relevant content, relax…and heave a sigh of relief.

(That could be one of only a few sighs heard for a while.)

If it’s had no makeover yet, or if you aren’t sure, then evaluate your website pronto.

It should be your greatest online asset, and should contribute significantly and profitably to your overall marketing program.

Gone are the days of websites as static billboards. Think of them now more like Barnes and Noble in-store cafes…where people come, stay, learn, and enjoy themselves as they browse for what they want.

Google wants users’ webpage experiences to be great…really great. Make it so.

Optimize your website immediately to incorporate the needed changes…make it as user-friendly as it can be.

How?

Here’s how…

Make your content shine

• You want and need lots of great content…valuable, relevant information that your website users find irresistibly valuable.
• It’s okay to have a few descriptions about your company, products and personnel, but if these make up the bulk of your website’s information, well, Google doesn’t consider it to be desirable content…because it’s not.
• Optimize your content for SEO, relevance, and visitor engagement—this means fill it with lots of valuable, instructive, interesting, entertaining and/or useful information that draws visitors.
• Your company’s org chart and history pages might be really interesting to you. However, they won’t draw many visitors the way a blogpost explaining how to double the battery life of forklift trucks will, or even, how to make functional COVID masks out of a sock, a cabbage leaf or an old 5-gallon water cooler bottle. Yes, you’ve got to have great content…period.
• Also, remove those pesky typos.
• And, make sure all content pages—including comments, reviews, videos, images, blog posts, landing pages, and whatever else you have online—all work well on mobile platforms.

Again, get your website optimized for mobile viewers

• Get an excellent and reliable web hosting service that offers fast load times.
• For faster loading, keep each webpage’s size light; have fewer and smaller graphics to minimize load times.
• Tone down or eliminate large pop-up banners.
• Bring your website security up to date, if it’s not already.
• In short, maximize your website’s content value—this needs to be ongoing—its usability, and its friendliness…and remove any and all annoyances to a user’s experience.

Write for smaller, narrower screens

• Craft shorter, compelling headlines that include a benefit…or curiosity.
• The ideal headline length for mobile screens is six words or less.
• Write shorter sentences and paragraphs for easier scanning. Add visual variety to avoid monotony.

Include lots of mobile-friendly optimization:

• Simplify your calls-to-action—use larger buttons.
• Get faster, simpler conversions by offering “Buy now“ one-click options.
• Optimize for local search (for the ever-popular geographically “near me” searches).
• Provide auto-complete for in-site search (via third-party plugins)

And finally, make sure your website benefits your business

• Make sure a visitor landing on your home page knows immediately what your business does, who it serves, and how your website can benefit them.
• Make sure each webpage includes your business name, address and phone number.
• And, if it isn’t already, consider turning your ‘billboard website’ into a functional bistro…a tool that makes you lots more revenue than it costs you.

In summary

• Make sure your site has great content that’s highly valued by your site’s visitors.
• And, give your users a great experience…on every page of your site.

So, mid-June is approaching.

Rather than breaking out the flashlights and spare batteries for the potential darkness that might come to your website visitors…get moving on your website…today.

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#websiteranking, #googlesearchengine, #corewebvitals, #googlenews

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Because content is critical to your website's ranking and to your marketing efforts, in coming articles I’ll offer some valuable and helpful insights about content and content marketing strategy, and how to use them to effectively market your company and your products.

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Rick Balmer is just a regular marketing guy here in Lancaster, PA who really wants you and your company to succeed. Period. He uses persuasive copywriting, the latest marketing know?how and techniques, plain old hard work (lots of it), and the occasional Dad joke to give you better results…like great content, more leads and clients, and ultimately…more profit. (Hey, if your business doesn’t make a profit, then it’s really just a hobby…isn’t it?)

These days, he’s (really) working (really really) hard to learn how to stop using (so many) parentheses.

Contact him at [email protected], or 717.503.7424...or on his (nearly) Dad-joke-free LinkedIn profile:  https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/richardcbalmer/.