Google’s recent response to online market trends was the introduction of Core Web Vitals, which is a new set of metrics. Over time, the keys to improving your search engine results page (SERP) ranking have improved. Site owners who want to rank well for relevant searches need to stay on top of Google’s algorithm which gives more importance to user experience.
We’ll be giving an overview of all the new Google page experience indicators in this guide. Let’s get started with the basics.
Defining Google Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics Google uses to assess a site’s page experience. These metrics produce a score that Google uses to determine if a site should get a higher ranking.
Google has put their emphasis on three factors that will help define a site’s content web pages:
- Loading – Largest contentful paint
- Interactivity – First Input Delay
- Visual Stability – Cumulative Layout Shift
In May 2020, Google Web Vitals announced the complete list. These CWVs, which will be applied to all web pages and are the “core” signals site owners need to focus on, are the components that should be used. Let’s examine each one of these aspects of the user-experience.
Largest Contentful Paint
Largest contentful paint refers to your page’s loading speed for the largest visual element. This is usually the content you keep “above and beyond the scroll”, which refers the first content a visitor sees on a page. This content is often the most valuable.
Site owners are likely to want to impress with complex graphics and flashy videos at the top of their pages. But, if the content takes too long for users to load, they may become frustrated and bounce.
Google identified this trend to be a predictor of user experiences. LCP is the measure of how large elements are loaded relative to other websites. LCP is also an indicator of visual issues.
You can configure pages with graphic or video elements above the fold in a number of ways that load properly. Your hosting provider will also play a part in determining your LCP, as they’ll cut down on unnecessary scripts and offer fast server response times.
First Input Delay
First Input Delayed (FID) measures the interactivity of a page. FID is the amount of the time it takes for a user to interact with a page and then the page’s response. As such, FID is a measure of a site’s responsiveness.
Let’s suppose you want to sign up to a newsletter by entering your email address. The FID is the time it takes for the site’s click to take effect after you hit submit. A delay of any kind could affect the page’s rank.
Google has again chosen FID as an indicator of user experience. For a user, the first interaction is an important moment that can determine their experience on your webpage. You You can’t afford to lose them.
Cumulative Layout Shift
Cumulative Layout Shift (or CLS) is the third metric of Google Core Web Vitals. CLS is used to assess the visual stability and usability of your web page. Another way to put it is: How stable is the page’s loading layout?
Let’s consider an online recipe. You’ve probably clicked on an online recipe to find out that there are a lot of ads, comments and videos. Not only are these elements loading, but they also affect the recipe’s location on the page. Users must scroll up and down to view the actual recipe.
Users would find this example of a cluttered recipe page to be uninspiring. The Cumulative Layout shift will reward pages that load seamlessly and do not alter the layout.
Why are Core Web Vitals important?
Core Web Vitals gives you an integrated approach to monitoring user experience and ranking pages. These factors are important to site owners who know how to maximize their potential ranking. It is important to remember that these metrics are well thought out and an effective way to measure the quality of your user experience.
There’s no reason to worry. CWVs can be a valuable tool if your goal is to deliver a superior digital experience to users.
How will the new Algorithm Update affect my Site?
Although your site’s content will remain the same, Google’s SERP rankings may be affected by this update. Your ranking may not change if your site already offers a great user experience. If your CWVs are poor, you might see a drop in page rankings.
Let’s take an in-depth look at the three benchmarks that you will need to meet to keep or improve your ranking.
- LCP (largest contentful paint) — Must occur within 2.5 seconds after the page loads. LCP stands for the largest visual element (or combination thereof) on your page.
- First Input Delayed (FID) — Less than 100 milliseconds. FID guarantees proper levels of interactivity or responsiveness.
- Cumulative Layout Score (CLS) — Maintain a score of 0.1 or less. CLS measures page loading speed and visual stability.
Once you start to see how these metrics impact your page rankings, Core Web Vitals will help you understand why they are so important for your website’s visibility.
How do I view Google’s CWV Scoring from my Site?
You can easily access your CWV scores on Google Search Console. Click on “Enhancements”, and you will be able see a breakdown for your scores for mobile and desktop.
You should not forget that the new CWVs don’t represent the only metrics you need to be aware of. Google still ranks pages on these factors, which were part of its algorithm for years.
- HTTPS Service
- Mobile-friendly optimization
- Lacking intrusive interstitial pop-ups
- Safe browsing, free from malware
How to improve core web vitals
These are some ways to improve your Core Web Vitals:
- You should ensure that all images and videos on your site are optimized.
- Optimize JavaScript so that only the required code is being executed
- Reduce third-party coding by at least half.
- Requests for file transfer should be kept as brief as possible.
Ranking high in Google SERPs requires constant work. Site owners know well that user experience is crucial to building successful digital enterprises. Follow us on our blog app or book a meeting with us if you want to learn more.
