How to Improve Page Experience: New Google Algorithm
Understanding Google’s Page Experience Signals for Your NZ Website (Updated 2025)
Google’s Page Experience signals are now well-established ranking factors within its search algorithms. Optimising your site for them is crucial for maintaining and improving your visibility online. Understanding how to improve Page Experience helps you stay competitive and provide a better service to your users. It’s always important to act on improving your site so that you can continue to grow your brand online.
So, what exactly is Page Experience, and why does it matter for your NZ business?
What is Page Experience and Why Does it Matter?
Page Experience focuses on the *experience* your users have when they visit your site. It encompasses several signals that measure how users perceive the experience of interacting with a web page beyond its pure information value. For example, if most users find your website easy to use, simple to navigate, and visually appealing, your page experience is likely quite good. You can read Google’s official overview here.
Google’s algorithms aim to prioritise pages that offer better user experiences. This is especially true given mobile search often exceeds desktop search volume in New Zealand and globally. With Page Experience signals factored into rankings, sites creating poor user experiences generally don’t rank as highly as those offering great experiences users love. Ultimately, that’s a good thing for users searching online.
A key aspect of Page Experience is that you don’t necessarily have to be a huge brand to rank well. Google recognises that businesses of any size can deliver a great user experience on their website. So, if you’re a smaller NZ brand, optimising for it can help your traffic grow consistently. Keep in mind, though, that keeping your website generally well-optimised across the board always helps boost traffic and rankings.
How to Improve Your Website’s Page Experience
There are several key areas you can focus on now to optimise your website for Page Experience signals and potentially improve its ranking:
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Optimise Page Loading Speed
One of the first things users notice (sometimes unconsciously) is how fast your site loads. It becomes more noticeable when it feels like it takes a long time – and in today’s digital age, ‘a long time’ can be anything over just a couple of seconds. Slow loading speeds are a major frustration. Aiming for load speeds under two seconds, ideally closer to one (as measured by metrics like Core Web Vitals), can significantly reduce bounce rates. You can check your site’s speed using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights. We’ve previously discussed SEO tests you can run (check our blog!) which include load speed tips, along with advice for content, title tags, meta descriptions, and other key SEO factors.
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Enhance Website Design and Usability
Beyond pure aesthetics, users want websites that are simple and easy to use. Focus on intuitive navigation, readable text (good contrast, sensible font sizes), and clear, visible calls to action. Ensure your Website Design avoids tactics that frustrate users, such as intrusive pop-ups that are hard to close, or layout shifts that move buttons or content unexpectedly as the page loads (Cumulative Layout Shift or CLS is a specific Core Web Vital metric measuring this).
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Analyse User Behaviour (e.g., with Heatmaps)
You can gain valuable insights into website usability using tools that show user behaviour. Heatmaps, for instance, show where users click most on your pages. This insight helps refine your website design. For example, if you see many users clicking an image or heading that isn’t linked, it suggests they expect it to be clickable. What might they be looking for? How could you make that pathway clearer or meet that expectation? Tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity can provide heatmap and session recording data. Set up such a tool, allow time for data collection, and analyse the results to inform design improvements.
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Apply Improvements Site-Wide
While specific Page Experience signals (like Core Web Vitals) are measured per page, apply these user experience principles across your entire site for consistency. Prioritise optimising your most important or popular pages first, then work through the rest as resources allow. Ultimately, aim for an overall user experience that surpasses your competitors.
Get Expert Help with Your Page Experience Optimisation
Optimising for Page Experience involves technical SEO, thoughtful design, and a user-centric approach. If you need assistance navigating Core Web Vitals, improving site speed, or enhancing usability, contact us today to discuss how we can help improve your website’s Page Experience and potentially its rankings.