A Guide to Effectively Improving Core Web Vitals in 2024

As the web continues to evolve, so do the metrics that define website performance. One of the most critical performance factors that website owners and developers need to focus on is Core Web Vitals. These metrics, introduced by Google, significantly impact user experience and search engine rankings.

In this comprehensive guide, we will explore how to improve your Core Web Vitals and help you boost your site’s performance and SEO in 2024.

What are Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals are a set of performance metrics introduced by Google that focus on the real-world experience of users on a webpage. These metrics are crucial indicators of how well your website performs in terms of loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. Google uses these metrics to determine how user-friendly your site is, and they are an integral part of how your site ranks in search results.

The Core Web Vitals metrics measure three key aspects of user experience:

1. Loading (Largest Contentful Paint – LCP)

The loading metric, measured by the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), focuses on how long it takes for the main content of a page to become visible to the user. This metric directly reflects the user’s perception of how quickly a page is useful.

• What is LCP? LCP measures the time it takes for the largest visible content element (usually an image, video, or large block of text) to fully render in the viewport. A good LCP score is less than 2.5 seconds from when the page starts loading.
• Why is this important? Slow loading times often frustrate users, leading to high bounce rates. When a page loads quickly, users are more likely to engage with the content, reducing the chance they’ll abandon the site.
• What affects LCP? Factors such as slow server response times, large image files, JavaScript execution, and render-blocking CSS can all negatively impact LCP. Optimizing these elements is crucial for achieving a good score.

2. Interactivity (First Input Delay – FID)

The interactivity metric is measured by First Input Delay (FID). This metric quantifies the time between a user’s first interaction with a web page (like clicking a button or link) and the moment the browser responds to that interaction.

• What is FID? FID captures how long it takes a webpage to become responsive to user inputs. A good FID score is less than 100 milliseconds. Anything above this indicates noticeable delays that can frustrate users.
• Why is FID important? Users expect web pages to react instantly to their inputs. Delays in responsiveness can cause frustration, especially for interactive websites like e-commerce platforms or web apps. A long FID can also signal poor code efficiency or heavy JavaScript execution.
• What affects FID? Long JavaScript execution times are a major cause of poor FID. If the browser is busy processing large scripts, it cannot respond quickly to user inputs. Minimizing JavaScript, deferring non-critical scripts, and reducing the impact of third-party scripts can significantly improve FID.

3. Visual Stability (Cumulative Layout Shift – CLS)

The visual stability metric is measured by Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). This metric tracks how often visible elements on a webpage unexpectedly move or shift as the page loads, which can lead to a poor user experience.

• What is CLS? CLS measures the total amount of unexpected layout shifts that occur during the entire lifecycle of a page. A good CLS score is less than 0.1, meaning that visible elements (like images, ads, buttons) stay stable and do not shift unexpectedly as the page loads.
• Why is CLS important? Visual stability is critical to ensuring a good user experience. Unexpected shifts can cause users to click on the wrong elements, such as mistakenly clicking an ad instead of a navigation button, which can be incredibly frustrating. For example, imagine you’re about to click “Add to Cart” on an e-commerce website, but just as you’re about to tap it, the button shifts due to a late-loading image, and you accidentally click something else.
• What affects CLS? The most common causes of poor CLS are unsized images, dynamic content insertion (like ads or videos), and web fonts loading late. Ensuring that images and media elements have explicit size attributes and avoiding sudden insertion of content can help maintain visual stability.

By optimizing these metrics, website owners can significantly improve user satisfaction and ensure better ranking on Google’s search engine results pages (SERPs).

The Best Way to Measure Core Web Vitals

To effectively improve Core Web Vitals, you first need to measure your current performance. Several tools can help you monitor and measure these metrics, providing insights into where improvements are needed. The most common and reliable tools include:

1. Google PageSpeed Insights – This tool provides a detailed report on your Core Web Vitals metrics, breaking down the performance on both mobile and desktop versions of your site. It offers actionable recommendations for improvement. 
2. Google Search Console – Google Search Console’s “Core Web Vitals” report shows the performance of your website for real users. It is a valuable tool for identifying issues affecting large groups of pages.
3. Lighthouse – This is an open-source, automated tool for auditing web performance. It analyzes the user experience on your site and gives you an overall score based on Core Web Vitals.
4. Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) – This report provides real-world user data collected from Chrome users. It’s ideal for tracking how actual users experience your website.

By using these tools, you can track your site’s Core Web Vitals performance over time and ensure that any changes or updates positively impact user experience.

Three Key Core Web Vitals Metrics to Pay Attention To

When optimizing your website, it is essential to focus on the three key Core Web Vitals metrics:

1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
   • What it measures: LCP measures how long it takes for the largest content element on your web page (like an image or text block) to load and become visible. A good LCP score is 2.5 seconds or less.
   • How to improve it: Ensure your server is optimized, use a content delivery network (CDN), optimize images, and remove any unnecessary JavaScript that delays loading.
   • Fact: A good LCP score is 2.5 seconds or less for at least 75% of page visits.
2. First Input Delay (FID)
   • What it measures: FID gauges how quickly a page becomes interactive, i.e., how long it takes for a user to interact with the site after loading. A good FID score is less than 100 milliseconds.
   • How to improve it: Minimize JavaScript execution time, optimize your CSS for fast rendering, and reduce the impact of third-party code (such as ads and tracking scripts).
   • Fact: A good FID score is less than 100 milliseconds.
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
   • What it measures: CLS tracks the visual stability of your page by monitoring unexpected layout shifts as content loads. A good CLS score is less than 0.1.
   • How to improve it: Reserve space for images and ads, avoid inserting dynamic content above existing content, and use size attributes on media files.
   • Fact: A good CLS score is less than 0.1.

These three Core Web Vitals metrics directly impact user experience, and improving them can lead to better engagement and higher search rankings.

A Guide to Improving Core Web Vitals for Better Google Scores

Now that you’re familiar with the key metrics, let’s explore actionable strategies to improve Core Web Vitals performance for a better user experience and improved Google rankings.

1. Optimize Image Loading

Images are often the largest assets on a webpage, making them a crucial factor in Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). To optimize image loading:

• Use next-gen formats like WebP or AVIF for smaller file sizes.
• Implement lazy loading to defer offscreen images.
• Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim.

2. Improve Server Response Time

A slow server can hurt your Core Web Vitals performance, especially LCP. Here’s how to improve it:

• Use a fast and reliable hosting provider.
• Implement server-side caching to reduce server load times.
• Utilize a CDN to serve content from a location closer to the user.

3. Minimize JavaScript Execution

Excessive JavaScript can delay the loading and interactivity of your website, impacting both LCP and First Input Delay (FID). Ways to optimize include:

• Minimize and compress JavaScript files.
• Defer non-critical JavaScript loading using async or defer attributes.
• Split large JavaScript bundles to ensure faster loading.

4. Avoid Large Layout Shifts

To improve Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) and maintain visual stability, follow these best practices:

• Set width and height attributes for all images and videos.
• Ensure that ads and embedded iframes do not cause layout shifts by reserving space.
• Avoid dynamically inserting content above existing content.

5. Leverage Browser Caching

Caching helps reduce the time it takes to load assets on repeat visits, improving Core Web Vitals performance. Set up long expiration times for assets that do not change frequently, such as images, CSS, and JavaScript files.

By implementing these optimizations, you’ll not only improve Core Web Vitals, but also enhance overall website performance, ensuring a smoother experience for your users and better SEO rankings.

How Do Core Web Vitals Affect SEO?

Core Web Vitals and SEO go hand in hand. As of 2021, Google included Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor in its search algorithm under the “page experience” update. This means that websites offering a superior user experience, as measured by Core Web Vitals, have a better chance of ranking higher in search results.

Core Web Vitals affect SEO in several key ways:

1. Page Speed and User Engagement: Faster pages lead to lower bounce rates, longer time on site, and higher conversions—all of which signal to Google that your website offers a positive user experience.
2. Mobile Optimization: Core Web Vitals mobile optimization is essential as more users access websites through mobile devices. Google emphasizes mobile-first indexing, and a poor mobile experience can severely impact rankings.
3. Competitive Advantage: Sites that meet the recommended thresholds for Core Web Vitals can outperform competitors who neglect these metrics, giving you an SEO edge.

In summary, Core Web Vitals play an important role in determining how search engines rank your site. By improving these metrics, you enhance both user experience and SEO performance.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is a good Core Web Vitals score?

A good Core Web Vitals score includes an LCP of less than 2.5 seconds, an FID of less than 100 milliseconds, and a CLS of less than 0.1.

2. How do Core Web Vitals affect mobile performance?

Core Web Vitals mobile optimization ensures that users on mobile devices have a fast, responsive, and visually stable experience. This is crucial as mobile usage continues to grow.

3. How often should I check my Core Web Vitals?

It’s a good idea to check your Core Web Vitals performance monthly or after significant updates to your website.

4. What tools are best for monitoring Core Web Vitals?

Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Search Console, and Lighthouse are among the most effective tools for monitoring Core Web Vitals.

Conclusion

Improving Core Web Vitals is very important for both user experience and SEO performance. By focusing on metrics like LCP, FID, and CLS, and optimizing your website’s speed, interactivity, and visual stability, you can create a better experience for users and gain a competitive edge in Google rankings.

If you need professional assistance with Core Web Vitals optimization or general web development, contact Vinova today. Our team can help you fine-tune your website to meet Google’s latest standards and enhance your site’s overall performance.