What are core web vitals and why you should care

Written by Lara • 4 September 2024

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a well-known (but often misunderstood) marketing channel that boosts your online visibility on search engines. SEO is constantly evolving. A few years ago, Google introduced one of my favourite metrics, Core Web Vitals.

In today’s lightning-fast digital world, your website is more than just a digital brochure; it’s your 24/7 storefront, customer service rep, and brand ambassador all rolled into one. With consumers increasingly turning to the internet for everything from product research to service inquiries, a stellar online presence is non-negotiable.

Core Web Vitals prioritises user experience, which aligns perfectly with my choice to work with self-hosted WordPress rather than platforms such as Wix or Squarespace.

I am not anti-platform; Wix and Squarespace are great for DIY websites; however, they often struggle to meet Core Web Vitals benchmarks, with only around 52-59% of all websites achieving “good” scores as of September 2024.

I prefer the control and customisation that self-hosted WordPress offers, allowing me to craft websites that deliver exceptional performance and user satisfaction. My websites all score excellent with CWVs as I have been site speed obsessed for many years.

So, let’s explore why Core Web Vitals is more than just another buzzword; it’s a secret sauce for your website that helps users and search engines.

What are Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals are a set of specific factors that Google uses to evaluate the overall user experience on your website.

Think of them as a health check for your site, measuring how quickly it loads, how responsive it is to user interactions, and how visually stable it remains during the loading process.

The three core metrics that make up Core Web Vitals are:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): The time it takes for the largest element on your page (usually an image or block of text) to become visible. Aim for an LCP of 2.5 seconds or less to keep visitors engaged.
First Input Delay (FID): The time it takes for your website to respond to a user’s first interaction, like clicking a button or link. A low FID (under 100 milliseconds) means your site feels snappy and responsive.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) Measures how much the elements on your page jump around as they load. A low CLS score (0.1 or less) ensures a smooth, visually pleasing experience.

You can check the CWV score of any page using this handy online tool: https://pagespeed.web.dev

Core Web Vitals and SEO: A Match Made in Google Heaven

Google has officially declared Core Web Vitals a ranking factor in its search algorithm. This means that websites with excellent Core Web Vitals scores have a better chance of ranking higher in search results, leading to increased visibility and organic traffic.

Why should businesses care?

Enhanced User Experience: A fast, responsive, and visually stable website creates a positive first impression and engages visitors. Happy users are more likely to explore your site, interact with your content, and ultimately convert into customers.
Improved Search Rankings: Google’s algorithm prioritises user-friendly websites. By focusing on Core Web Vitals, you’re clearly signalling to Google that your site is worthy of a top spot in search results.
Reduced Bounce Rates: Slow-loading pages and frustrating interactions can lead to high bounce rates (people leaving your site quickly). Optimising Core Web Vitals helps reduce bounce rates, indicating that your site is relevant and valuable to search engines.
Gaining a Competitive Edge: Many businesses are still playing catch-up with Core Web Vitals. You can gain a significant advantage over your competitors by taking proactive steps to improve your site’s performance.
Mobile-First World: With most web traffic now coming from mobile devices, mobile friendliness is non-negotiable. Core Web Vitals considers mobile performance, helping you cater to this growing audience.

Turbocharge Your Website: Actionable Tips to Improve Core Web Vitals

Ready to make your website a Core Web Vitals superstar? Here are some practical tips:

Optimise Images and Videos: Compress large files and use modern formats like WebP to reduce loading times without sacrificing quality.
Choose a High-Performance Hosting Provider: Your hosting provider is crucial to your website’s speed. Invest in a reliable host to handle your traffic and deliver fast loading times.
Minimise JavaScript: Streamline your JavaScript code to avoid delays in interactivity.
Implement Lazy Loading: Load images and videos only when they’re about to be visible on the user’s screen, reducing initial load time.
Leverage Browser Caching: Store static resources on a user’s device to speed up subsequent visits.
Design for Visual Stability: Ensure your page elements don’t jump around unexpectedly as the page loads.

Remember, Core Web Vitals aren’t just about pleasing Googe. CWVs help you create a better user experience, and a happy user is more likely to become a loyal customer.

If you want to learn more about Core Web Vitals, Google has some developer resources to help: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/core-web-vitals

Ready to Unleash Your Website’s Potential?

I’m passionate about helping businesses like yours succeed online. I specialise in WordPress solutions and can help you optimise your website for optimal Core Web Vitals performance.

Let’s chat about your website goals and craft a strategy to enhance user experience, boost your search rankings, and drive real results for your business.

Contact me today for a free consultation!