Core Web Vitals: Now a Confirmed part of Google’s ranking system
For years, SEO professionals have debated the impact of Core Web Vitals on Google Search rankings. While Google always emphasised the importance of a good user experience, the official line on Core Web Vitals' role in ranking remained somewhat ambiguous.
Well, that's no longer the case. Google recently updated their documentation, clearly stating that Core Web Vitals are used by their ranking systems. This is a significant shift and underscores the importance of optimising your website for these key metrics.
What are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are a set of three metrics that measure the technical aspects of user experience:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This measures how long it takes for the main content of your page to load. Google aims for an LCP of under 2.5 seconds for a good user experience.
First Input Delay (FID): This measures how responsive your page feels. Ideally, users should be able to interact with the page within 100 milliseconds of their first action.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This measures how much the layout of your page shifts while loading. A good CLS score is below 0.1.
Why are Core Web Vitals Important for Rankings?
Google prioritises user experience in its search results. Pages that load quickly, feel responsive, and avoid layout shifts are simply more enjoyable to use. By confirming Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor, Google is emphasising its commitment to rewarding websites that deliver a positive user experience.
What This Means for You
Here's the good news: Optimising for Core Web Vitals often leads to better overall website performance. Faster loading times, improved responsiveness, and a stable layout benefit both users and search engine crawlers.
Here's what you can do:
Run a Core Web Vitals test: Use Google Search Console or other SEO tools to identify areas for improvement.
Optimise images: Large images can significantly slow down your page load time. Compress images or consider using lazy loading techniques.
Minimise render-blocking resources: Certain resources like JavaScript or CSS files can block the rendering of your page content. Defer or asynchronously load these files.
Improve server response time: A slow server can negatively impact your Core Web Vitals. Consider upgrading your hosting plan or optimising your server-side code.
Core Web Vitals are Just One Piece of the Puzzle
While Core Web Vitals are now a confirmed ranking factor, it's important to remember that they're just one piece of the puzzle. Google's ranking algorithms are complex and consider many factors beyond technical performance. High-quality content, mobile-friendliness, and backlinks all continue to play a vital role in SEO success.
Focus on User Experience
By optimising for Core Web Vitals, you're not just chasing a ranking boost – you're creating a website that users will genuinely enjoy interacting with. In the end, that's the ultimate goal of any successful SEO strategy.
