May 2021 Newsletter
Summary
We’ve added some things we hope will improve your experience with our Admin Center. Also, tips on new Google search ranking factors.
Usability Boost 1
Go Directly to a Particular Page within the Admin Center
Before our integration with Login.gov, users were sent directly to their Admin Center Dashboard, or could bookmark a page within the Admin Center, like their Analytics, open that URL, authenticate, and go directly to that page. Our initial integration with Login.gov delivered users to their Account page after authentication. We’ve restored the previous pathways, so users can choose their destination, or will be delivered directly into their search site’s Dashboard.
Usability Boost 2
Bot Queries Now Blocked
You may have noticed repetitive bot queries in your site’ analytics. We’ve now blocked a list of known user agents and annoying bot queries from making requests to our systems. This action will support you getting cleaner analytics.
If you have any specific unwanted queries you’d like to report, email us at search@gsa.gov. All reported queries will be considered by our team and filtered if possible.
SEO Pro Tip
Google Search Has Added Page Experience Ranking Signals in May 2021
As shared by our colleague David Kaufmann to the Web Content Managers’ listserv in December and March, “starting in May 2021, page experience signals will be a part of Google Search ranking calculations. This involves several areas, but many have to do with how light and quick our page loads are.” He shared a blog post about it and information about page experience signals. David also shared additional resources:
Release Notes
Want to learn about the latest features, fixes, and focuses of the Search team? We post monthly Release Notes on our website.