What Are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics introduced by Google to measure the speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of a website. These metrics include Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Interaction To Next Paint (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This metric measures the loading performance of a web page. LCP ensures that users can see the page's main content quickly, for a better user experience. LCP occur within the first 2.5 seconds of the page starting to load.
Interaction To Next Paint (INP): INP is a newer metric that replaced FID (First Input Delay) on 12 March 2024. It measures total iteration timing on a webpage, including the time it takes for the user to see a visual response after clicking, tapping, or typing. A lower INP means the site feels faster and more responsive. A good INP score is under 500 milliseconds to 200 milliseconds.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): CLS measures the visual stability of a web page by evaluating how much content shifts or moves during the loading process. A low CLS score indicates a stable and visually consistent user experience. CLS score of less than 0.1.
Why Optimize Core Web Vitals?
Optimizing Core Web Vitals is crucial for several reasons.
Improved User Experience: Websites with fast loading times and responsive designs provide a seamless browsing experience for users, leading to higher engagement and lower bounce rates.
Higher Search Engine Rankings: Google considers Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor, meaning that websites with optimized performance are more likely to rank higher in search results, driving organic traffic and visibility.
Competitive Advantage: By prioritizing Core Web Vitals optimization, you gain a competitive edge over other websites that may need to optimize their performance metrics, attracting more users and potential customers.
How to Optimize Core Web Vitals?
Now that we understand the importance of Core Web Vitals, let’s explore actionable strategies to optimize them effectively.
1. Optimize Loading Speed
- Compress images and videos to reduce file sizes and improve loading times.
- Minimize HTTPS requests by combining and minifying CSS and JavaScript files.
- Leverage browser caching to store static resources and reduce server response times.
2. Enhance Interactivity
- Prioritize critical rendering paths to ensure that important content loads first.
- Minimize JavaScript execution time by eliminating render-blocking scripts and optimizing code.
- Implement lazy loading for images and videos to defer loading until they are visible on the screen.
3. Stabilize Visual Elements
- Set dimensions for media elements to prevent layout shifts during loading.
- Avoid inserting dynamic content above existing content, which can cause unexpected layout changes.
- Use CSS animations and transitions judiciously to maintain visual stability.
After implementing all these strategies, you can improve your website’s Core Web Vitals scores and provide a better user experience.
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What Are The Major Differences Between INP and FID?
Here, we present a chart of the major differences between INP and FID.
