In 2021, Google made Core Web Vitals a ranking factor. This means your website's performance directly affects where you appear in search results. Let's break down what these metrics mean and why they matter.
The Three Core Web Vitals
1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
LCP measures how long it takes for the largest element on your page to load. This is usually a hero image or heading. Google considers under 2.5 seconds as "good."
Why it matters: Users perceive your site as "loaded" when the main content appears. A slow LCP means visitors see a blank page for too long.
2. First Input Delay (FID) / Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
This measures how quickly your site responds when a user first interacts with it (clicking a button, tapping a link). Under 100ms is considered "good."
Why it matters: If users click and nothing happens for a second, they assume your site is broken.
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
CLS measures visual stability—how much elements move around as the page loads. A score under 0.1 is considered "good."
Why it matters: Ever tried to click a button only for it to move at the last second? That's poor CLS, and it's incredibly frustrating.
How to Check Your Scores
You can check your Core Web Vitals using:
- Google PageSpeed Insights: Free tool that analyzes any URL
- Google Search Console: Shows site-wide data for your property
- Chrome DevTools: Real-time metrics as you browse
Common Fixes
Most Core Web Vitals issues can be fixed by:
- Optimizing and properly sizing images
- Reducing JavaScript bundle sizes
- Using proper image dimensions to prevent layout shift
- Implementing lazy loading for below-the-fold content
- Choosing faster hosting infrastructure
Need help improving your Core Web Vitals? Let's talk about how we can optimize your site.