What are Google Core Web Vitals & Why They’re Important for your Business

There are three Core Web Vitals that Google uses to assess a website’s user experience score. Let’s examine what each of these means: 

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): The LCP is the time it takes for the largest piece of content on a page to load. A good LCP score is less than 2.5 seconds.

First Input Delay (FID): The FID is the time it takes from when a user first interacts with a page, (such as clicking a link or button) to the time when the browser is able to respond to the interaction. A good FID score is less than 100 milliseconds. 

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): The CLS is the amount that the layout of a page changes after it has loaded. To provide a good user experience, a website should have a CLS score of 0.1 or less.

These metrics are important because they can affect how users interact with and perceive a website.

For example, a slow LCP can cause frustrations for the end user, the longer they wait for content to load, the more likely they are to leave the website.

A high FID can also cause frustrations for the end user, making it difficult to interact with a page. 

A high CLS score indicates a poor user experience as it can make it difficult for users to predict where the content on a page will be. An unexpected layout shift also frustrates users as they can accidentally click something they had not intended to and lose their place. They are also likely to leave the website. 

Here are a few effective ways you can improve your Core Web Vital scores: 

Using a content delivery network (CDN): A CDN enhances a website performance by improving site speed. Using a CDN can specifically improve your LCP score, as static content and images are cached on servers that are closer to users. The content has less distance to travel and therefore helps the page load quicker. 

Optimising images: Images are one of the largest influences on page speed and Core Web Vitals. Optimising images to reduce their file size, can help to improve LCP and CLS.  

Using a web font optimisation service: Much like images, web fonts take time to download when opening a web page. A web font optimisation service can help to reduce the download time of fonts, which can help to improve LCP.  

Avoiding interstitials: Interstitials are pop-up windows that can appear when a user visits a website. They can slow down the loading of a page and frustrate users. They also affect the CLS score as the page will suddenly shift when the pop-up has loaded. 

Testing your website: There are many tools available that can help website owners test their Core Web Vital’s scores. These tools can help to identify areas where improvements can be made.  

Improved loading time
A faster loading website means that users can start interacting with the content sooner. This can help to improve the overall user experience. 

Reduced frustration
A website that is responsive and does not have any unexpected shifts in layout can help to reduce frustration for users. This can make them more likely to continue engaging with the website and less likely to exit. 

Increased engagement  
A website that is easy to use and has a good user experience can help to increase engagement from users. This can lead to them spending more time on the website and even returning to it in the future. 

Increased conversion rates
A website that has a good user experience and is easy to use can help to increase conversion rates. This is because users are more likely to trust and engage with a website that they have a good experience with.