How to Improve Your Website for Google’s Core Web Vitals

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April 19, 2025 50

How to Improve Your Website for Google's Core Web Vitals

In today’s online world, a good user experience is key. Google’s Core Web Vitals help measure this. Improving these metrics is crucial for better search rankings and happy visitors. This simple guide will show you easy steps to optimize your site’s Core Web Vitals, boosting both its performance and how visible it is online.

What are the Basic Elements of the Web?

Core Web Vitals are a group of important factors that Google looks at to measure how good a website’s user experience is. These include:

Larger Paint Content (LCP) – Measures load performance. A good LCP is 2.5 seconds or faster.

First Input Delay (FID) – It measures how quickly a page responds when you first interact with it. A good time is under 100 milliseconds.

Cumulative Design Change (CLS) – Measures visual stability. A good CLS score is less than 0.1.

Note: Google has begun transitioning FID to a new metric called Next Paint Engagement (INP), which better reflects real-world user interactions. For optimal performance, INP aims for 200 ms or less.

Why Core Web Vitals Matter

Core Web Vitals aren’t just about how fast your site loads—they also affect your SEO, bounce rates, conversions, and how happy users are. Google looks at these metrics to judge your site’s overall experience, so if you don’t meet the standards, your site might get less traffic and fewer users.

How to Measure the Basic Values of the Web

Before you can optimize, you need to measure. Here are the tools that will help you evaluate your current Core Web Vitals:

Google PageSpeed Stats
Lighthouse (DevTools)
Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX)
Web Vitals Chrome Extension
Google Search Console (Core Web Vitals Report)

Strategies for Optimizing Larger Content Paint (LCP)

LCP issues are usually caused by slow server response times, resources that block processing, and large images. Here’s how to fix them:

Improve server response times

Use a high-performance hosting provider.
Implement server-side caching.
Optimize your backend performance (e.g., reduce database queries).

Eliminate resources that block processing

Minimize CSS and JavaScript.
Use async or defer for non-critical scripts.
Critical inline CSS.

Optimize images

Use next-generation formats such as WebP or AVIF.
Implement responsive image sizes.
Use lazy loading for bottom-of-the-page content.

Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

Deliver content closer to your users to reduce latency.

Strategies for Optimizing First Input Delay (FID)/Next Paint Interaction (INP)

Since INP is replacing FID, focus more on holistic responsiveness.

Minimize JavaScript Execution Time

Split code using dynamic imports.
Use tree shaking to remove idle code.
Remove unused third-party scripts.

Break up long tasks.

Use requestIdleCallback() to defer non-essential scripts.
Break down large JavaScript tasks into smaller ones.

Optimize event handlers

Avoid complex calculations in UI event handlers.
Input listener anti-bounce when appropriate.

Use a Modern UI Framework

Frameworks like React 18, SvelteKit, or Astro have built-in performance improvements.

Strategies for Optimizing Cumulative Design Change (CLS)

Unexpected design changes can be frustrating. Avoid this by:

Always include size attributes in images and videos

Place width and height in HTML/CSS to reserve space.

Don’t add new content over what’s already there.

Use placeholders suitable for ads, banners, and embedded elements.

Preload important fonts

Use rel=”preload” <head> for custom fonts.
Use Font Display: Swap to ensure fast rendering.

Use stable UI patterns.

Avoid layout changes caused by animations or sprawling content.

Additional Tips for Optimization

1. Adopt HTTP/3

HTTP/3 improves load times, especially on slower connections, by reducing latency and improving reliability.

2. Implement AI-based optimization tools

AI tools can now automatically optimize image size, compression settings, and even suggest design improvements.

3. Monitor Real User Metrics (RUM)

Using RUM services such as Cloudflare RUM or SpeedCurve can help you get real user data instead of lab simulations.

4. Implement Progressive Web App (PWA) Features

PWAs provide faster load times, offline capabilities, and improved mobile performance.

5. Accessibility and UX Design Synergy

Core Web Vitals enhancements should be combined with accessibility best practices to maximize user satisfaction.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Over-optimization

Removing too many features or media can harm the user experience.

Neglecting mobile performance

Most users now access sites via mobile. Test and optimize for various screen sizes.

Ignore third-party scripts

Ads, analytics, and widgets often cause delays and changes.

Lack of continuous monitoring

Core Web Vitals can degrade over time. Set up alerts and continuous tracking.

Create a Long-Term Optimization Plan

Monthly Audit

Use Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights regularly.

Upgrade your tech stack

Stay up-to-date with libraries and frameworks.

Educate your team

Make sure everyone, from developers to marketers, understands the importance of Core Web Vitals.

Set performance budgets

Define acceptable limits for page size, load time, and interaction delay.

Automate where possible

Use CI/CD pipelines to integrate performance checks before deployments.

Conclusion

Improving your website for Google means making it fast, easy to use, and enjoyable for visitors. This goes beyond just technical fixes. By focusing on a smooth user experience, your site can perform better, be seen more by Google, and stay competitive as the internet changes.

In Google’s words, “great page experiences allow people to do more and engage more deeply.” Let that be your guiding principle as you optimize your website for the future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are Google’s Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals measures user experience across three metrics: Largest Content Paint (LCP), Interaction with Next Painting (INP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). These focus on loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability, respectively. Optimizing them is essential for better rankings and higher user satisfaction on your site.

How can I make my site’s LCP score better?

To make your website load faster, especially the main image or text people see first (LCP), try these simple steps: make pictures smaller, save them cleverly, get a faster computer for your website, and get rid of unnecessary stuff. Also, use a network that helps load your site quickly everywhere.

What is INP, a nd how do I optimize it?

Interaction with Next Paint (INP) measures responsiveness during user interactions. Optimize by minimizing JavaScript execution time, breaking up lengthy tasks, and deferring non-essential scripts. Use modern frameworks and web workers to handle tasks outside of the main thread. Fast and seamless user interactions improve the overall user experience.

How do I reduce cumulative layout change (CLS)?

Reduce CLS by setting fixed dimensions for images and videos, avoiding dynamic content that changes elements, and ensuring fonts don’t cause jumps in the layout. Preload fonts and use layout stability techniques. A stable design keeps the user experience consistent, preventing unexpected visual changes during page loading.

What tools help monitor Core Web Vitals?

Use Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, the Chrome User Experience Report, and the Search Console Core Web Vitals report. These tools identify problems and offer suggestions for improvement. Regular monitoring ensures that your website meets Google’s performance standards and delivers a smooth and optimized user experience.