Google Page Experience algorithm update rolling out in February

Google announced that it would apply Page Experience algorithm update to desktop search results. The update will launch in February 2022 and should be fully rolled out by the end of March. We recall that this update has already rolled out to mobile search earlier this year.

Google stated that this new update builds on top of the algorithm launched on mobile between June and August this year. 

“This means the same three Core Web Vitals metrics: LCP, FID, and CLS, and their associated thresholds will apply for the desktop ranking. Other aspects of page experience signals, such as HTTPS security and the absence of intrusive interstitials, will remain the same.”

Source: https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/11/bringing-page-experience-to-desktop?hl=en  

The mobile-friendliness signal won’t be a factor for desktop, although it remains a part of the mobile ranking. Additionally, if a website has separate mobile and desktop URLs, the desktop signal will be based on the URL seen by desktop users.

We do stress about having a website optimized for mobile, but it appears that this update brings a slight opportunity for websites to get a boost in their desktop ranking, even if they’re not mobile-friendly. 

We expect Google to start adding more reports to Search Console and provide guidelines and insight into how our desktop pages are performing for the Page Experience update. In case your site doesn’t pass the Core Web Vitals, it may be time to schedule your consultations with the experts from Alpha Efficiency.