Core Web Vitals are discussed in this post. The Google search engine is designed to display to users the best-matching organic results for a specific query. The search system is based on a series of algorithms, each of which evaluates the site from a different angle, preparing a ranking. In the process of analyzing websites, Google robots consider not only content or external linking but also technical optimization and UX design. In order to guarantee users the best possible experience, the search engine wants to promote only the highest quality websites that meet specific guidelines. Therefore, in May 2020, Google published Core Web Vitals, or Basic Internet Indicators.
In this article, Niketrainers.com.co will tell you:
What is Core Web Vitals?
WithCore Web Vitals, Google’s search engine sends a clear signal to webmasters, SEO specialists, and website owners. Website optimization is not only about the maximum simplification of the source code, image compression, setting the meta data or alt attributes of the images. An important role in positioning is also played by UX design, i.e. adapting the website to the user’s needs, so that using it guarantees the best possible experience for the Internet user. The journey through the individual subpages should be smooth, and the session should be as ergonomic and satisfying as possible for the internet user.
Source:Own study.
Core Web Vitalsare Basic Internet Indicators used by the Google search engine to determine the quality of a website by analyzing the website during rendering and after loading. The whole is based on three indicators:
- LCP– Largest Contentful Paint (the largest rendering of the content);
- FID– First Input Delay;
- CLS– Cumulative Layout Shift.
These indicators should be on the scale prepared by the Google team. Then the website may more often be displayed in a high position in the search engine, which has a positive effect on organic traffic. Failure to adapt the website toCore Web Vitalsmakes SEO activities much more difficult.
Source:support.google.com– Core Web Vitals values.
LCP – Largest Contentful Paint
LCPstands forLargest Contentful Paint, meaning the largest rendering of content. This is the time to load the largest fragment of the page. According to Google guidelines, the maximum charging period is 4 seconds, while the best result is considered to be less than 2.5 seconds. When analyzing a page, search engine robots use the HTML code in exactly the same way as it was developed – from the first lines to the end. So it is easy to conclude that the greatest element (LCP) can change regularly. A site fragment is considered the largest when it is fully loaded. On the other hand, parts of the website loading off the screen of the Internet user are usually not taken into account by robots.
To improve theLCP, find the elements that slow down the loading of the URL and then optimize them. These include removing unused code snippets, implementing asynchronous loading, as well as CSS and JS minification. In the context of graphics, it is worth considering the use of the WEBP format (high quality, low weight). Images can be displayed immediately before scrolling the user, rather than immediately while loading the URL in the browser-this is known asLazy Loading.
Source:web.dev– Web Vitals
FID – First Input Delay
TheFID indicator, orFirst Input Delay, represents the delay on the first action and relates to the interactivity of the website. In practice, this is the time from the user’s first action while loading the URL until the requested action is performed. Internet users using websites want to obtain the information they are looking for as soon as possible. As a result, the user clicks on links or interface elements even when the page is not fully rendered. Occasionally, it may happen that thewebsite, despite displaying content, does not respond to user interaction (or does it with a delay). This is because it the browserdeals with the handling of files that make up the website and, only after some time, will analyze the behavior of the internet user. The waiting time is determined by theFID indicatorand should not exceed 300 ms. However, any value below 100 ms is considered a favorable result.
An effective way to improve theFIDis to optimize your JavaScript code. You should also think about asynchronous loading and reducing resource blocking. A special delay in loading external scripts (e.g., Google Analytics or HotJar) has a positive effect onFID.A useful solution is also the use of theserver-side renderingmethod.
Source:web.dev– Web Vitals
CLS – Cumulative Layout Shift
CLSis slightly different from previous indicators. The Cumulative Layout Shiftis based on continuous data collection and analysis of the rendering of subsequent elements on subpagesof the domain. The purpose of this indicator is to verify the page layout and catch possible shifts, as such a phenomenon may have a negative impact on the user experience. ForCLS, newly appearing elements and existing fragments changing their size are not relevant, unless they cause a shift of other page segments. Google points out that any score below 0.25 is acceptable forCumulative Layout Shift, while high-quality URLs score below 0.1.
A popular error with a negative impact onCLSis the use of graphics without a declared size. Uploading such an image will significantly shift the page layout. To avoid this situation, you should give a predefined height and width of a given element (in this case a graphic) with the “width” and “height” attributes. Effective solutions also include the use of placeholders. This is a special place where the object, such as an ad, will be displayed. This way, the layout will maintain its structure and there will be no layout shift, so theCLS resultwill be positive.
Source: web.dev – Web Vitals
Where to check Core Web Vitals indicators?
There are several methods for verifyingCore Web Vitals metrics. It should be remembered that each URL address requires appropriate optimization for the guidelines of the Google search engine, not just the domain’s home page. Basic Internet Indicators can be analyzed usingPageSpeed Insights,Lighthouseand theGoogle Search Console tool.
PageSpeed Insights
You can usePageSpeed Insightsto analyze a single URL forcore web vitals. The software not only displays the LCP, FID, and CLS results but also information on how they can be corrected to improve the site’s situation. The percentage values indicate what percentage of users visiting the website in the last 28 days obtained particular results. This way, the domain owner (or SEO specialist) can verify that the URL is stable. The higher the percentage displayed in green, the better. PageSpeed Insights allows you to analyzeCore Web Vitalsfor the mobile and desktop versions.
Source: PageSpeed Insights – Core Web Vitals results from the Ikea home page.
Lighthouse
To use the Lighthouse feature forCore Web Vitals analysis, you must launch the website in a browser. Then it is necessary to “examine the item” by right-clicking the mouse or using the Ctrl + Shift + I keyboard shortcut in the Google Chrome browser. At the top of the open window is the Lighthouse function. The tool allows you to parse the URL (for desktop or mobile version). After the audit is performed, the browser will return the results. Lighthouse does not work in the same way as PageSpeed Insights. This is an analysis with slightly more elements, so the final result obtained from the two tools may be different.
Source: Lighthouse function in the browser – Core Web Vitals results of the Ikea store home page.
Google Search Console
The Google team wants website owners to be able to analyze their sites forCore Web Vitals as easily as possible. For this reason, the functionality of “Basic Internet Indicators” is available in the Google Search Console tool. Crawlers retrieve information about LCP, FID, and CLS and then, depending on the result, rate the URLs as poor, needing improvement, or good quality. Thanks to this, it is possible to quickly implement optimization changes, without the need to manually analyze all subpages individually. Google Search Console also presents historical data in the context ofCore Web Vitals, which may be useful for webmasters and SEO specialists.
Source: Google Search Console. Sample report showing site status in the context of Core Web Vitals indicators.
How does Core Web Vitals affect website positioning?
ThroughCore Web Vitals, the Google team aims to encourage website owners to better optimize their website. Websites with high ratings can achieve greater visibility in the search engine thanks to high position. This is because they are tailored to the needs of users, so Google’s algorithms are eager to rank them better in organic search results.Core Web Vitalsis another step towards the synergy of SEO and UX.
The high LCP, FID, and CLS indicators have a positive effect on the position of the website. However, it should be remembered that the appropriate technical optimization of the website is not everything in the context of SEO. Equally important is high-quality content rich in naturally placed key phrases. Content that meets the needs of users is absolutely the basis of any website that wants to achieve satisfactory scores in organic search results.Link buildingAlthough this process has lost some of its importance after the implementationof the Penguin algorithm, the acquisition of external links is still the primary ranking factor for the Google search engine.
If you want to position your website, be sure to optimize it in accordance with the guidelines of the Google search engine. The site should also be tailored to the needs of users. In this way, it will achieve high core web vitals rates, thus gaining visibility. It is worth noting that an innovative-and at the same time effective-positioning strategy in line with the Basic Internet Indicators isSXO. It is a combination of UX and SEO that has a number of beneficial effects. With proper implementation of the strategy, the website can expect not only higher visibility but also higher traffic, which then, thanks to UX, will end the session through conversion.
Comments are closed.