SEO in 2024: How Interaction to Next Paint (INP) Will Change Your Strategy (Brisbane SEO)

Hold onto your hats, Brisbane SEOs! Google's March 2024 update throws a whole new metric into the SEO ring: Interaction to Next Paint (INP).

If you haven't heard of INP yet, don't worry – you're not alone. It's a recent addition to the Core Web Vitals, a set of metrics that measure how user-friendly your website is. But INP is different. While previous metrics focused on initial load times, INP dives deeper, looking at how quickly your website responds to user interactions – clicks, taps, scrolls, the whole shebang.

Here's why INP is a game-changer for SEO in 2024:

• User Experience Reigns Supreme: Google's message is clear: user experience is king. INP reflects how responsive your site feels, directly impacting user satisfaction. Frustrated users who click buttons that take ages to react are more likely to bounce, hurting your SEO ranking.
• Going Beyond First Impressions: INP isn't just about that initial page load. It considers the entire user journey, measuring responsiveness throughout their time on your site. This is a more holistic view of user experience, ensuring a smooth ride from click to conversion.
• A New Approach to SEO Strategy: With INP in the mix, SEOs in Brisbane (and everywhere else!) need to revamp their strategies. Optimizing for speed is still crucial, but now we need to focus on making the site feel snappy at every touchpoint.

So, how do you prepare for the INP revolution? Here's your SEO toolkit for 2024:

• Test, Test, Test: Run website speed tests that measure INP. Google PageSpeed Insights is a great free tool https://pagespeed.web.dev/. Identify areas where your site lags and prioritize improvements.
• Minify and Optimize: Reduce file sizes for images, JavaScript, and CSS. This lightens the load on your website, making it feel more responsive.
• Prioritize Critical Rendering Path: Ensure essential resources for initial rendering load first. This gives users the feeling of a quick response, even if the entire page hasn't fully loaded.
• Embrace Lazy Loading: For non-essential content, implement lazy loading. This technique delays loading images or content below the fold until the user scrolls down, improving initial page responsiveness.

INP might seem like a technical hurdle, but it's actually an opportunity. By focusing on a smooth user experience, you'll not only improve your SEO ranking but also create a website that Brisbane visitors will love using. So, Brisbane SEOs, let's embrace INP and make 2024 the year of happy users and skyrocketing rankings!