By Shad Super in Questions —

How Can You Use the Page Experience Report to Identify Pages That Need UX Improvements?

Summary

The Page Experience report in Google Search Console is a valuable tool for identifying pages that need UX improvements. By analyzing Core Web Vitals, mobile usability, HTTPS usage, and the absence of intrusive interstitials, this report highlights areas that affect user experience and guides you on improvements.

Understanding the Page Experience Report

The Page Experience report combines data from several metrics in Google Search Console to evaluate the performance and user experience of your web pages. These metrics provide insights into how users perceive the experience of interacting with your website.

Core Web Vitals

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

LCP measures the loading performance of the largest content element visible in the viewport. A good LCP score is within 2.5 seconds. To improve LCP:

First Input Delay (FID)

FID measures the time it takes for a page to become interactive. A good FID score is less than 100 milliseconds. To improve FID:

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

CLS measures visual stability by quantifying the amount of unexpected layout shifts on a page. A good CLS score is less than 0.1. To improve CLS:

Mobile Usability

The Mobile Usability section of the Page Experience report identifies issues that affect how users interact with your pages on mobile devices. Key areas to improve include:

HTTPS Usage

HTTPS is a critical component for user trust and security. The Page Experience report flags pages that are not served over HTTPS, indicating areas that need improvements to secure data exchanges between the user and your site:

  • Upgrade your site to HTTPS by obtaining an SSL certificate [Move to HTTPS, 2023].
  • Ensure that all resources (images, scripts, etc.) are also served over HTTPS to avoid mixed content warnings.

Intrusive Interstitials

Intrusive interstitials (e.g., pop-ups that cover the main content) can negatively impact user experience. The Page Experience report indicates if your website's UX is hampered by such elements:

  • Avoid displaying intrusive interstitials except for necessary purposes like legal reasons (e.g., cookie usage) [Mobile Interstitials, 2023].
  • Design pop-ups that are easy to dismiss and don’t block the content.

Conclusion

The Page Experience report provides actionable insights into areas of your site that require UX improvements. By addressing Core Web Vitals, Mobile Usability, HTTPS usage, and avoiding intrusive interstitials, you can enhance your page experience and thus improve user satisfaction and SEO performance.

References