2023.05.14 / Web Development, WordPress

Google Core Web Vitals, a set of metrics that measure the speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of websites. These metrics are important for website owners and developers because they affect the user experience and the search engine ranking of websites.

Google Core Web Vitals are composed of three main metrics:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This measures how long it takes for the largest content element on the page to load. A good LCP score is 2.5 seconds or less.
• First Input Delay (FID): This measures how long it takes for the page to respond to the first user interaction, such as clicking a button or entering text. A good FID score is 100 milliseconds or less.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This measures how much the layout of the page shifts during loading. A good CLS score is 0.1 or less.

Starting in mid-June 2021, Google will use these metrics as ranking signals, along with other user experience signals such as mobile-friendliness, HTTPS, and safe browsing. This means that websites that provide a high-quality user experience based on these signals will likely rank higher in search results.

Therefore, website owners and developers should optimize their websites for Google Core Web Vitals to improve their user experience and their search engine visibility. Here are some tips on how to do that:

• Optimize your images: Images are often the largest content elements on a page, so optimizing them can improve your LCP score. You can optimize your images by using the right format, size, compression, and loading strategy for your images.
• Minimize your JavaScript: JavaScript is often the main cause of delays in user interactions, so minimizing it can improve your FID score. You can minimize your JavaScript by using only what you need, removing unused code, splitting large files, and deferring or loading them asynchronously.
• Avoid layout shifts: Layout shifts can occur when elements on the page change their size, position, or appearance during loading, which can frustrate users and affect your CLS score. You can avoid layout shifts by reserving space for your elements, using stable fonts, and avoiding animations or transitions.

In summary, Google Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure the speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of websites. They are important for website owners and developers because they affect the user experience and the search engine ranking of websites. By optimizing your website for these metrics, you can provide a better user experience and increase your online presence.