--- title: "Daily Buzz: Google to Shift Search-Ranking Metrics" id: "50257" type: "post" slug: "daily-buzz-google-to-shift-search-ranking-metrics" published_at: "2020-05-29T22:23:55+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-17T03:32:08+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/05/29/daily-buzz-google-to-shift-search-ranking-metrics/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2020/05/29/daily-buzz-google-to-shift-search-ranking-metrics.md" excerpt: "The search engine will start ranking sites based on “page experience” starting next year. Also: Rethink your mindset on A/B testing." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "digital market" - "SEO" - "Technology" - "website optimization" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "C-Level" - "Director" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Daily Buzz: Google to Shift Search-Ranking Metrics If your site has a low-quality surfing experience, it could soon get docked by Google in the search rankings. The company announced on May 28 that it would start ranking sites based on [three new ranking metrics it calls “Core Web Vitals (opens in a new tab)](https://blog.chromium.org/2020/05/introducing-web-vitals-essential-metrics.html) ”: the speed at which a site loads; the speed at which a user can first interact with a site; and a site’s visual stability when loading. “We believe user engagement will improve as experiences on the web get better—and that by incorporating these new signals into Search, we’ll help make the web better for everyone,” said Sowmya Subramanian, the company’s director of engineering for search ecosystem, [in a blog post (opens in a new tab)](https://webmasters.googleblog.com/2020/05/evaluating-page-experience.html) . One piece of positive news about this is that the change will not be immediate. The company plans to implement it sometime in 2021, in part due to concerns about COVID-19. But when the world gets back to normal, it’s something you should be ready to fix. ### Effective A/B Testing > How do you know your messaging is going to resonate with your membership? You test it first! A/B testing isn’t as daunting as it’s made out to be. Here’s how to do it right![https://t.co/yUWVqWiTGZ (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/yUWVqWiTGZ) > [#marketing (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/marketing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnchat (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnchat?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#assnexec (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/assnexec?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#socialmedia (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/socialmedia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [#advertising (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/hashtag/advertising?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > [pic.twitter.com/1n2U7EqXFK (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/1n2U7EqXFK) > > — wessovis (@wessovis) [May 29, 2020 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/wessovis/status/1266339194596741126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **Testing is the ideal way** to figure out if a messaging strategy is doing its job, but too often, marketing pros may push it to the side because of the potential that it could prove too difficult. [At the Michigan Society of Association Executives blog (opens in a new tab)](https://www.msae.org/Blog/ArticleId/217/how-to-test-your-associations-membership-messaging) , Wes Sovis of the Q+M Agency makes the case that such testing isn’t as hard as it looks. He suggests starting with your email newsletter as a way to dip your toes in before trying other tactics. “Testing how different topics in your subject line changes open and click-through rates, for example, can help you craft subject lines that are more engaging to your members,” he says. “You can also test things like time of day the newsletter is sent, day of the week it’s sent, and plenty of other variables that will help you improve your metrics.” ### Other Links of Note **Having trouble cutting the costs** of your cloud implementation? [CMSWire has some strategies (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cmswire.com/information-management/a-cost-cutting-cloud-optimization-strategy-for-your-skyrocketing-cloud-bills/) that could help you make things less painful on the pocketbook. **Speaking of cutting costs,** *CIO* has tips on strategies IT departments can take [to trim the fat from their budget (opens in a new tab)](https://www.cio.com/article/3545270/11-ways-to-cut-hidden-fat-from-your-it-budget.html) . **Eventually, people will transition out of roles.** At his *Idea Architects* site, Jeffrey Cufaude [makes the case that the role should be resilient (opens in a new tab)](https://www.ideaarchitects.org/2020/05/be-careful-with-your-changing-of-guard.html) even if the person leaves. (solidcolours/iStock/Getty Images Plus) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#digital market](https://associationsnow.com/tag/digital-market/) [#SEO](https://associationsnow.com/tag/seo/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) [#website optimization](https://associationsnow.com/tag/website-optimization/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: More Than Marketing: The Power of Strategic CommunicationsJuly 30, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/30/associations-now-presents-more-than-marketing-the-power-of-strategic-communications/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Why Slower Marketing Can Drive Stronger Member Engagement (Episode 27)June 25, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/06/25/associations-now-presents-why-slower-marketing-can-drive-stronger-member-engagement-episode-27/) - [TemplateMembers onlyMember Onboarding ToolkitNovember 5, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/11/05/member-onboarding-toolkit/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2020%2F05%2F29%2Fdaily-buzz-google-to-shift-search-ranking-metrics%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !