Core Web Vitals, explained simply
Core Web Vitals are Google’s way of measuring how good your pages feel to real users — how fast they load, how quickly they respond, and how stable they are while loading. They are a confirmed ranking factor and, just as importantly, they affect whether visitors stay or leave.
The three Core Web Vitals
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) — loading. How long until the main content appears. Aim for under 2.5 seconds.
- INP (Interaction to Next Paint) — responsiveness. How quickly the page reacts when someone taps or clicks. Aim for under 200 milliseconds. (INP replaced FID in 2024.)
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) — visual stability. How much the page jumps around as it loads. Aim for under 0.1.
Why Core Web Vitals matter
Slow, jumpy pages lose visitors before they ever convert — and Google uses page experience as a tie-breaker in rankings. Good Core Web Vitals support both your technical SEO and your conversion rate at the same time.
Is your site fast enough?
We’ll measure your Core Web Vitals and show you the quickest wins. We reply within one business day.
Begin a ProjectHow to improve your Core Web Vitals
- Compress and properly size images — usually the biggest LCP win.
- Reduce and defer JavaScript to improve responsiveness (INP).
- Reserve space for images and ads so the layout does not shift (CLS).
- Use fast hosting and caching, and lazy-load below-the-fold media.
Frequently asked questions
What are Core Web Vitals?
Three metrics — LCP, INP, and CLS — that measure loading speed, responsiveness, and visual stability, used by Google to judge real-world page experience.
What is a good LCP, INP, and CLS score?
LCP under 2.5 seconds, INP under 200 milliseconds, and CLS under 0.1. Hitting all three on mobile is the goal.
Do Core Web Vitals affect rankings?
Yes — they are a confirmed ranking signal. They rarely outweigh great content, but between similar pages they can be the deciding factor.
How do I improve Core Web Vitals?
Optimise images, reduce and defer scripts, reserve space for media, and use fast hosting with caching. Then re-test on mobile.
Fast pages rank and convert better. For the bigger picture, read our technical SEO guide, or explore our website design work and get in touch.
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