In May of 2020, Google announced that it would be introducing an upcoming algorithm update, Core Web Vitals.
The Google Core Web Vitals update will be coming in May of 2021, so here are the highlights of what you need to know so you know how to prepare your site for it.
Why Is the Google Core Web Vitals Update Important?
The Core Web Vitals will make user experience – meaning how easy it is to use the page and how useful it is – a new ranking signal. This will be known as the page experience signal. This update will help fix poor customer experiences on your site. In fact, Google found that users are 24% less likely to abandon page loads when a site meets the Core Web Vitals thresholds.
The update will show your page performance based on real world usage data. It aims to maximize your site performance, deliver profitable results and high search results rankings.
What Are the Core Web Vitals?
The Google Core Web Vitals are looking to three User Experience (UX) metrics to determine how it ranks your site’s user experience.
The three metrics are:
1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is Google’s metric of your page’s loading time. It measures the loading performance and reports the render time of the largest content element – usually a video, image, or text – in the viewpoint. This content element should load ASAP so that the user knows that the page is actually loading. LCP should be under 2.5 seconds.
2. First Input Delay (FIP)
First Input Delay (FIP) is Google’s metric of the speed of your page’s interactivity. It measures how long it takes for the browser to respond after the user interacts with your page. FIP should be 100 milliseconds or less.
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is Google’s metric of your page’s visual stability. It measures how much the layout of your page shifts while it is loading. This improves user experience because if the page shifts too much while it is loading, the user may end up clicking on a different button than they intended to. CLS should be 0.1 or under.
How You Can Prepare for the Core Web Vitals Update
You can prepare for the update by taking a consumer-first approach to your web design and prioritizing user experience. You can also look at the current metrics of your site and what your ranking is. Google has made it easy to see how your site does by adding the Core Web Vitals report to Search Console. If your ranking is poor or needs improvement, find out what the issues are on your page and make improvements accordingly.
Contact us for help getting your site ready for the update or for any other questions you may have!