Core Web Vitals: Pass Google's Exam - Optimization Guide

You arrive at a website, click a button, and… nothing. You wait. Suddenly, an image loads and shifts all the text you were reading. Frustrating, right?

Google hates that experience as much as you do. That’s why it introduced Core Web Vitals: a set of metrics that measure the health of your site’s user experience. And yes, they are a confirmed ranking factor.

The 3 Key Metrics

1. LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) - Loading Speed

Measures how long it takes for the largest visible element on the screen (an image or text block) to load. Goal: Less than 2.5 seconds.

How to improve:

• Use images in WebP or AVIF format.
• Implement Lazy Loading on images not on the first screen.
• Use a CDN to serve your content faster.

2. INP (Interaction to Next Paint) - Interactivity

Replaced FID (First Input Delay). Measures your website’s overall responsiveness to user clicks and interactions. Goal: Less than 200 milliseconds.

How to improve:

• Minimize heavy JavaScript that blocks the main thread.
• Break long code tasks into smaller chunks.
• Avoid complex animations that overwhelm the browser.

3. CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) - Visual Stability

Measures how much content moves unexpectedly while loading. Goal: Less than 0.1.

How to improve:

• Always assign width and height attributes to images and videos.
• Reserve space for dynamic ads before they load.
• Avoid inserting content on top of existing content unless initiated by user interaction.

Diagnostic Tools

Don’t guess, measure.

• PageSpeed Insights: Lab analysis and real field data.
• Google Search Console: Dedicated “Core Web Vitals” report to see the evolution of all your URLs.

Conclusion

Optimizing Core Web Vitals isn’t just to please Google. A fast and stable website retains users, reduces bounce rates, and increases conversions. It’s a double win: better SEO and happier customers.

Does your website fail in speed? We can optimize your code to achieve green scores. Contact us.