What are Core Web Vitals?

The Core Web Vitals metrics were rolled out in August 2021 as part of a Page Experience update by Google. While they’ve been around for several years, many website owners still seek clarification over what they are and how they can be improved.

Here are the metrics you need to know:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP):

This is all about load speed. It marks the point in the page load timeline when the page’s main content has likely loaded. A fast LCP is a good sign that the page is useful and will contribute positively to the overall user experience. A slow LCP signals to Google that users may be waiting too long for content to load, resulting in a bounce. A good LCP score is 2.5 seconds or less.

Interaction to Next Paint (INP):

This is the latest update to Core Web Vitals metrics and addresses the shortcomings of the First Input Display metric. It became a stable metric in March 2024 and is designed to measure user interface responsiveness. In simpler terms, this is how quickly a website responds to user interactions like clicks and key presses. Unlike First Input Display which focused on the first interaction with a website and the browser response time, INP evaluates all interactions with a web page for a more comprehensive understanding of user experience - not just the initial one. Google states that a good INP score is equal to or less than 200ms.

Cumulative Layout Shifts (CLS):

This measures how much elements shift about on a web page while loading. This typically occurs with images, buttons and other interactive elements but can be picked up on text as well. An unstable viewing experience can be irritating for the user which is why CLS is a stable metric. A good CLS score is 0.1 or less.

Why Does Google PageSpeed Matter?

Google PageSpeed matters because it looks at the user experience of a page on both mobile and desktop devices. Google PageSpeed tools such as PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse also provide suggestions on how that page may be improved. This, of course, is extremely relevant when it comes to Core Web Vitals metrics, as they directly impact user experience.

Google PageSpeed tools look directly at LCP, INP and CLS, offering insights into how to fix errors. Core Web Vitals optimisation starts with detecting problems and finding solutions, making this tool an essential part of the process.

How we Optimise Core Web Vitals

Here at Whitefish Marketing, we have a tried and tested approach to Core Web Vitals optimisation. We include the following steps to ensure your website delivers a positive user experience at every touchpoint:

PageSpeed Score

We begin by checking and recording your PageSpeed score. This will be out of 100, with anything over 90 considered good by Google.

Backend Analysis

We’ll take a look behind the scenes to determine what improvements can be made.

Optimisation

Having carried out the required actions, we’ll test and track changes for the best results.

Get in touch for a customised quote

Core Web Vitals Statistics and a Negative Customer Experience

  • A study of over 5.2 million pages showed that only 33% of websites passed the Core Web Vitals thresholds.
  • 3% of sites have slow pages. Improving your site can place you above the competition.
  • 47% of users won’t wait longer than two seconds for a website to load
  • 40% of users will leave a site if take more than three seconds to load
  • 88% of shoppers won’t return to a website after having a bad user experience.
  • Slow loading images cause 39% of users to lose interest and move on.
  • Retailers lose £2.6 billion annually due to slow websites.
  • Users form an opinion about a website in 0.05 seconds. So poor Core Web Vitals could cause them to bounce.
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Core Web Vitals FAQs

At Whitefish Marketing we offer bespoke optimisation services based on Core Web Vitals data. We use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and resolve issues. As every website is different, we use various methods to achieve optimisation.

If we identify any design or layout changes that could improve Core Web Vital metrics, we will discuss these with you before taking action. We will then test any changes to ensure they’ve had a positive impact. Sometimes, simple image or video optimisation is all it takes. For example, minimising render-blocking JavaScrip and CSS.

Core Web Vitals are part of Google’s search algorithm and are therefore a ranking factor. This means that pages that perform well on Core Web Vitals metrics are more likely to rank higher in search engines than those that don’t. Content relevance and other SEO factors also remain crucial but understanding technical SEO has many benefits.

Core Web Vitals can be measured using many tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Search Console, Lighthouse and Google User Experience Report (CrUX).

When our work is complete, we’ll send you a full Google PageSpeed report for your manual approval. We will remain on-hand should you have any questions or require any further work to enhance site performance.

So what's stopping you?

Call today on 01303 720 288 or fill out our enquiry form below.