Core Web Vitals are Google’s metrics for measuring user experience. They affect your search rankings and, more importantly, how users experience your site.
The three Core Web Vitals
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
Measures loading performance. LCP should occur within 2.5 seconds of when the page first starts loading.
First Input Delay (FID)
Measures interactivity. Pages should have an FID of 100 milliseconds or less.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Measures visual stability. Pages should maintain a CLS of 0.1 or less.
Why they matter
Good Core Web Vitals mean faster, more responsive websites that don’t jump around. This leads to better user experience, lower bounce rates, and higher conversion rates. Google also uses them as a ranking factor.
How to improve
Common improvements include optimising images, reducing JavaScript, implementing proper caching, and avoiding layout shifts from loading content. We build all our websites with Core Web Vitals in mind from the start.