Four Ways to Prepare for Google SEO Changes

If your site appears on the first page of Google Search Engine (SERP) results, your organization will reap the benefits of more impressions and site traffic. However, Google regularly changes how it determines which sites appear first. So it is important your company is on top of the newest criteria as well as the core principles of SEO (search engine optimization).

Let’s start with the changes. Google is releasing the Page Experience Update, which rewards sites that offer a good experience with higher rankings. We’ll review metrics that will be more important now and then revisit core elements of good SEO.

What’s more important now:

1. The loading speed of the most important element on your page, such as the main image.
2. First input delay. How long does it take for a user to get a response after clicking a button or taking action?
3. Page element shifting. If your site loads slowly a person may click to perform an action and due to a shift of visuals or page elements, the click goes to an ad or an unintended button. This would negatively affect your SEO.
4. Mobile-first is required. Your site must work well on all mobile devices.

For a more technical description, you can check out the Search Engine Journal article about Google’s Page Experience Update

You May Need an Agency That Specializes in SEO

An advertising agency specializing in SEO can combine knowledge of your business with the core principles of SEO to deliver a higher ranking.  What are some of the new and old SEO skills that top agencies offer?

• Technical SEO, such as load speed, site architecture, page tags (descriptions).
• SEO Content, such as keywords that describe your products and pages. This also includes keywords for optimizing content such as blogs.
• Competitive analysis. What are competitors doing and what are opportunities for your company?
• Customer experience. Find and fix broken links and issues that may affect customer experience and have a negative effect on SEO

Picking the Right Agency

Selecting the right marketing partner for SEO should be a thoughtful process. Start by checking the agency website. Not only should it be functional and load quickly, but it should also inspire you with creative design. Look for an extensive portfolio showing the work the agency has completed for clients, showcasing desktop and mobile experiences. Then set up an exploratory call to learn more about the agency’s experience in your category. If you are facing SEO challenges or opportunities, you can reach us here at James Ross Advertising.