User Experience (UX)
How easy and enjoyable a website is to use. Google measures UX signals through Core Web Vitals, mobile-friendliness, and page experience. Bad UX = bad rankings.
Why It Matters
Google's mission is to deliver the best possible results, and a great result means a great experience on the landing page. UX has become increasingly important as Google develops better ways to measure it - Core Web Vitals, mobile usability, safe browsing, HTTPS, and intrusive interstitial penalties.
Beyond direct ranking impact, poor UX kills conversions. A confusing navigation, slow load times, aggressive popups, or a broken mobile experience will send visitors away regardless of how well you rank. SEO gets people to your site; UX determines whether they stay.
In Practice
Start with the basics: fast load times, mobile-responsive design, readable typography, clear navigation, and accessible content. These aren't nice-to-haves - they're the minimum.
Test your site on real devices, not just desktop. What feels intuitive on a 27-inch monitor might be unusable on a phone. Watch real users interact with your site through tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity to identify UX friction points.
Eliminate intrusive interstitials - those full-screen popups that appear before users can see the content. Google explicitly penalises these on mobile. Sticky banners and timed modals are fine; blocking the entire viewport is not.
Related Terms
Glossary
Core Web Vitals
Google's page experience metrics - loading speed, visual stability, and interactivity.
Glossary
Page Speed
How fast your pages load - a confirmed ranking factor that affects conversions too.
Glossary
Mobile-First Indexing
Google uses the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking - not desktop.
Glossary
Bounce Rate
Percentage of visitors who leave after viewing just one page on your site.
Glossary
Conversion Rate
The percentage of visitors who take a desired action - the metric that actually matters.
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