Everything You Need to Know About Google’s Core Web Vitals

Having a fast and reliable website is crucial to the success of any business in today's digital age. With Google's recent emphasis on user experience, the search platform has introduced a new set of metrics called Core Web Vitals that businesses need to be aware of.

Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure the speed and performance of a website, all of which play a significant role in determining the user experience, and therefore influencing your SEO search rankings.

In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about Google's Core Web Vitals, including what they are, why they matter, and how to optimize your website to meet them. So, if you're looking to improve your website's performance and user experience, read on to learn all about Google's Core Web Vitals.

‍

{{contents}}

Why Did Google Release the Core Web Vitals Algorithm Update? 

Google released the Core Web Vitals algorithm update in 2021 to improve user experience on websites.

The update introduced new metrics to measure loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability, which were identified as the most critical factors for a website's user experience. By prioritizing pages with good Core Web Vitals scores, Google aims to direct its users to websites that provide a seamless, enjoyable online experience.

The Mission

The release of Core Web Vitals is part of Google's ongoing effort to prioritize user experience in its search results. Google's mission is to provide its users with the most relevant and useful information when they search for something online. However, providing relevant information is not enough; Google also wants to ensure that its users have a good experience when they visit a website.

Core Web Vitals is a response to the growing demand for fast-loading, mobile-friendly websites that offer a great user experience. With the increasing number of people accessing the internet through mobile devices, it's essential for websites to provide a seamless and enjoyable experience regardless of the device used.

The Benefits

Prior to the release of Core Web Vitals, there were already several metrics that Google used to measure website performance, such as page speed, mobile-friendliness, and security. However, these metrics did not provide a complete picture of a website's user experience.

Core Web Vitals, on the other hand, provides a comprehensive set of metrics that measures loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability, which are critical factors in providing an excellent user experience.

Not only does this benefit users, but it benefits website owners as well. A website that loads quickly, is easy to use, and provides a seamless experience is more likely to have a lower bounce rate, receive backlinks, and ultimately rank higher in search engine results. Therefore, website owners who prioritize Core Web Vitals will not only improve their website's user experience but also increase their website's visibility and traffic.

What Are the 3 Core Web Vitals?

There are 3 Core Web Vitals that Google uses to assess your website’s performance. These metrics are designed to help website owners and developers understand how well their website is performing in terms of speed, responsiveness, and visual stability.

The three Core Web Vitals are:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures the loading performance of a website. Specifically, LCP measures the time it takes for the largest element on the page to become visible to the user. This element could be an image, a video, or a block of text, and it's essential because it's typically the main content that users are interested in.
• First Input Delay (FID) measures the responsiveness of a website. Specifically, FID measures the time it takes for the website to respond to the user's first interaction, such as a click or a tap. This is important because users expect websites to respond quickly to their inputs, and a slow response time can lead to frustration and a negative user experience.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures the visual stability of a webpage. CLS measures the amount of unexpected layout shift that occurs during the loading of the page, which can negatively affect user experience.  

Read on below to find out more about each of these metrics, and how a good score can change the game when it comes to your website’s performance.

More About Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

When a user visits a website, they expect the main content to load quickly and smoothly, as it's the reason they clicked on the page in the first place.

If the LCP score is high, it indicates that the main content takes too long to load, which can result in a negative user experience. A high LCP score can also lead to a higher bounce rate, as users are more likely to abandon a website that takes too long to load.

The recommended LCP score is less than 2.5 seconds. However, the ideal LCP score may vary depending on the type of website and the user's device and network conditions. For example, a website that targets users in areas with slow internet speeds may have a higher acceptable LCP score than a website that targets users in areas with fast internet speeds.

To improve LCP scores, you can take the following steps:

• Optimize images and videos by compressing them to reduce their file size without sacrificing quality. This can be achieved through tools like image compression software or plugins that automatically optimize images on a website.
  
  
• Improve server response times by using a content delivery network (CDN) to distribute content to users from a server closest to their location. CDNs work by caching website content in multiple locations worldwide, reducing the distance data needs to travel and speeding up loading times.
  
  
• Leverage browser caching to store frequently requested resources like images and stylesheets in a user's browser cache. This can significantly reduce loading times for repeat visitors to a website.
  
  
• Reduce server requests by minimizing the number of external resources loaded on a webpage, such as scripts and stylesheets. This can be achieved by combining multiple resources into a single file and minimizing the use of external resources where possible.
  
  
• Use lazy loading techniques to load images and other content only when they are needed, reducing the amount of data that needs to be loaded initially and improving LCP scores. Lazy loading can be achieved through JavaScript libraries or plugins that delay the loading of non-critical content until a user scrolls down to it.
  

Here at Fix My Site Speed, we can help you implement these changes and significantly improve your LCP score to provide a faster, more responsive user experience. This can lead to higher engagement rates, reduced bounce rates, and improved search engine rankings, making it a worthwhile investment for any website looking to improve its performance.

First Input Delay (FID)

Having a responsive, fast-loading website is key to your success. Therefore, it’s important to check your website speed and maintain a good FID score.

The recommended FID score is less than 100 milliseconds. However, this score may vary depending on the type of website and the user's device and network conditions. For example, a website that requires a lot of processing power may have a higher acceptable FID score than a website that doesn't.

To improve FID scores, you can take the following steps:

• Optimise server response times by using a content delivery network (CDN) to distribute content from a server closest to the user's location.
• Optimise JavaScript code by reducing the size of scripts and avoiding long-running tasks that block the main thread. This can significantly improve the time it takes for a website to respond to user interactions.
• Minimise third-party scripts and libraries, which can add significant processing time and increase FID scores. Only use third-party scripts that are essential to the website's functionality and avoid those that are not.
• Use a browser cache to store frequently accessed resources, reducing the time it takes to load them and improving FID scores.
• Use web workers to offload long-running tasks to a separate thread, reducing the workload on the main thread and improving FID scores.

Chat with our team today to see how we can help you to improve your FID score with our speed optimization services.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

No-one likes a webpage that shifts around a lot, as this makes things difficult to read. Users will quickly become frustrated and leave.

A layout shift occurs when content on a webpage moves unexpectedly, such as when an ad loads or when a video starts playing, causing the user to lose their place and potentially click on the wrong link.

The recommended CLS score is less than 0.1. This means that the total layout shift should be less than 0.1, on average, during the entire lifespan of the webpage. If the CLS score is higher than 0.1, it can indicate that the website has visual instability issues and may need optimization. To improve CLS scores, you can take the following steps:

• Avoid dynamically injected content such as ads, pop-ups, or videos that can cause unexpected layout shifts. If these elements are essential, reserve space for them on the page to avoid layout shifts.
  
  
• Set dimensions for images, videos, and other visual elements. This will ensure that they load in the correct size, reducing the likelihood of unexpected layout shifts.
  
  
• Preload important resources such as images, fonts, and videos to reduce the amount of shifting that occurs as they load.
  
  
• Use fast-loading web fonts that are optimized for performance. Slow-loading web fonts can cause unexpected layout shifts as the page loads.
  
  
• Optimize server response times by using a content delivery network (CDN) to distribute content from a server closest to the user's location.
  

Our team has a wealth of experience when it comes to optimizing these factors. Get in touch with us today to find out more.

Understanding Core Web Vitals and SEO

Core Web Vitals are an essential part of SEO as they provide website owners with valuable insights into their website's performance and user experience. They’re also a critical ranking factor for Google's search engine algorithm.

By measuring website speed, responsiveness, and visual stability, Core Web Vitals help you identify areas that need improvement and optimize your website for a better user experience.

Google has stated that it wants to provide users with the best possible user experience, and websites that score well on Core Web Vitals are more likely to deliver a positive experience. As a result, websites that perform well on Core Web Vitals are more likely to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs).

It's important to note that Core Web Vitals are not the only ranking factor that Google considers when ranking websites. Other factors, such as high-quality content, backlinks, and mobile-friendliness, also play a significant role in determining a website's ranking in SERPs. However, Core Web Vitals are an essential factor that website owners should focus on optimizing to improve their website's ranking in Google search results.

What are the Core Web Vitals Benchmarks for My Business Website?

The Core Web Vitals are made up of three specific metrics: loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. Each of these metrics is measured using specific data points that provide an overall score that is used to determine whether a website meets the Core Web Vitals benchmark:

• Loading speed measures how quickly a website loads for users. This metric is important because users expect websites to load quickly, and if a website takes too long to load, users may become frustrated and leave. The loading speed metric is measured using a data point called Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), which measures the time it takes for the largest element on a webpage to load.
  
  
• Interactivity measures how quickly a website responds to user interactions. This metric is important because users expect websites to respond quickly to their actions, such as clicking on a button or scrolling through a page. The interactivity metric is measured using a data point called First Input Delay (FID), which measures the time it takes for a website to respond to a user's first interaction.
  
  
• Visual stability measures how stable a website is when it loads. This metric is important because users expect websites to be visually stable and not jump around as they scroll through a page. The visual stability metric is measured using a data point called Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), which measures the amount of unexpected layout shift that occurs during the loading of a webpage.

To meet the Core Web Vitals benchmark, a website must score well on all three metrics. Websites that do not meet the benchmark may experience a decrease in search engine rankings and a decrease in user engagement.

By improving your website's SEO Core Web Vitals, you can enhance your website's user experience and achieve better search engine rankings, leading to increased traffic and engagement.

Optimize Your Core Web Vitals for Better Performance Today

With Fix My Site Speed, you'll have access to a team of experts who can help you understand the ins and outs of web Core Vitals and explain how they impact your website's performance.

Our team can provide you with customized solutions that are tailored to your business needs, ensuring that your website meets the Core Web Vitals benchmarks and provides the best possible user experience for your customers.

Don't let poor Core Web Vitals hold your website back. Contact us today to improve your website's loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. With our expertise and guidance, you'll be on your way to achieving a better online presence and reaching more customers.