Google Search News (July ‘20) - Web Stories, Page Experience Benchmark, and more

TL;DR

John Mueller discusses recent Google Search developments for webmasters.

Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] JOHN MUELLER: Hi, everyone. And welcome back to the Google Search News series. I hope life is treating you reasonably well, wherever you are. I'm your host today, John Mueller. Here from home, again, in reasonably sunny Switzerland. With this show, we want to give you a regular summary of what's been happening around Google Search, ... Read More

Key Insights

• Web Stories offer a new way to create high-quality, bite-sized content on websites, now visible in Search, Images, and Discover.
• The Page Experience benchmark, incorporating Core Web Vitals, will become a future Google Search ranking factor to enhance user experience.
• Google is focusing on the Rich Results Test for structured data, planning to deprecate the general Structured Data Testing Tool.
• Mobile-first indexing timeline extended to March 2021, allowing more time for sites to adjust for mobile optimization.
• New JavaScript documentation includes guides for links, history API, URL fragments, and 404 pages, aiding JavaScript-based site development.
• SEO Mythbusting video series and Search Off the Record podcast provide insights into Google's behind-the-scenes activities.
• Google has updated developer tools like Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights to reflect Core Web Vitals, aiding in page performance improvement.
• Special announcements, licensable images, and AMP article markup are now testable in the Rich Results Test, enhancing structured data usage.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are Web Stories and where can they be found?

Web Stories are a format for creating high-quality, bite-sized content on websites. They are built on AMP, making them normal HTML pages. Web Stories can be found in Google Search, Google Images, and Discover, providing a new way to engage users with interactive content.

Q: What is the Page Experience benchmark?

The Page Experience benchmark is a future Google Search ranking factor that incorporates Core Web Vitals, focusing on speed, interactivity, and stability. It also considers mobile friendliness, HTTPS security, and intrusive interstitial guidelines to provide a comprehensive user experience evaluation.

Q: How is Google changing its approach to structured data testing?

Google is shifting its focus to the Rich Results Test for structured data, planning to deprecate the general Structured Data Testing Tool. This change aims to reduce confusion and better align with the goal of improving visibility in Google Search results.

Q: What is the new timeline for mobile-first indexing?

The timeline for mobile-first indexing has been extended to the end of March 2021. This extension provides websites with additional time to adjust their pages for mobile optimization, ensuring a seamless transition to mobile-first indexing practices.

Q: What new resources are available for JavaScript-based sites?

Google has expanded its JavaScript documentation to include guides on links, the history API, URL fragments, and 404 pages. These resources are designed to assist developers in optimizing JavaScript-based sites for better performance and user experience.

Q: What are the SEO Mythbusting and Search Off the Record series?

SEO Mythbusting is a video series featuring discussions with experts on common SEO misconceptions, while Search Off the Record is a podcast offering insights into Google's internal processes. Both series aim to educate and inform webmasters and SEOs about best practices and updates.

Q: How have Google's developer tools been updated?

Google's developer tools, including Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights, have been updated to reflect Core Web Vitals metrics. These updates help developers identify performance issues and improve their web pages, aligning with the upcoming Page Experience benchmark.

Q: What new elements are included in the Rich Results Test?

The Rich Results Test now includes special announcements, licensable images, and AMP article markup. These additions enhance the testing capabilities for structured data, allowing webmasters to optimize their content for better visibility in Google Search results.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• John Mueller presents updates on Google Search, focusing on the introduction of Web Stories, a format for high-quality, bite-sized content that appears in Search, Images, and Discover. A WordPress plugin is in beta development to facilitate easy creation of Web Stories.

• Google plans to integrate the Page Experience benchmark as a future ranking factor, incorporating Core Web Vitals to enhance user experience. Updated developer tools like Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights help identify and improve page performance.

• Structured data updates include a focus on the Rich Results Test, with plans to deprecate the general Structured Data Testing Tool. New guides for JavaScript-based sites and extended timelines for mobile-first indexing provide additional support for webmasters.