{"id":2051,"slug":"google-page-experience-not-ranking-lever","title":"Google — page experience NOT a separate ranking system; CWVs don't guarantee rankings","kind":"reference","scope":"business","status":"current","audiences":["kevin","candid-team"],"topics":["website-credibility-and-speed","technical-seo-hygiene"],"reference_body":"**Claim:** Google is explicit that page experience \"was not a separate ranking system\" and that good Core Web Vitals scores \"don't guarantee good rankings\"; relevance and content dominate.\n\n**Source:** Google Search Central; Danny Sullivan.\n\n**Confidence:** Verified (primary Google source).\n\n**Why this matters for Candid:** Tier 1 work is table stakes — it changes CONVERSION of existing demand, not how much demand the site captures. Agency claims that a redesign will \"transform\" lead flow are wrong.","rationale_body":null,"metadata":null,"links":{"outgoing":[],"incoming":[{"slug":"research-brief-smb-widget-difficulty-to-work-june-2026","title":"Research brief: SMB widget difficulty-to-work mapping — three tiers of work for three sizes of gap (June 2026)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"},{"slug":"tier-1-foundational-web-presence","title":"Tier 1 — Foundational web presence (SMALL GAP)","kind":"reference","scope":"business","link_type":"relates-to"}]},"created_at":"2026-06-23T19:16:02.685Z","updated_at":"2026-06-23T19:16:02.685Z"}