Google’s Core Web Vitals is a relatively new tool. With this tool it is possible to measure the page experience of your website. Unique, since the page experience is normally difficult to measure. The page experience is crucial, which makes the Core Web Vitals indispensable right now.
What are the factors that make up the ‘Vitals’?
When Google came up with this unique tool in 2021, they didn’t really know what to expect from it. The page experience was previously difficult to measure and understand, but that has now changed. With the Core Web Vitals from Google it is possible to measure the page experience (very) accurately.
Within the Core Web Vitals there are three factors:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
This factor indicates the speed at which most of the web page is loaded. This does not concern the entire web page, but the most important / largest part of the website. Which part is that? For example, that is the largest text block or the largest image.
Why has a special factor been devised for this? Because Google uses the following principle: largest = most important. According to this principle, most of a web page would be the most important for a visitor. Google is therefore of the opinion that this part should be loaded (very) quickly.
The ideal LCP is a loading time of less than 2.5 seconds. Do you measure via Core Web Vitals that the loading time of the largest part exceeds 4 seconds? Then it is important to optimize this element as quickly as possible. Don’t you? Then there is a chance that your visitor will immediately click away from the website. No visitor wants to wait (too) long for a page to load.
First Input Delay
The second factor has been given the fancy name ‘First Input Delay’. This factor looks at the responsiveness of the website. In other words: how quickly does the website respond to the visitor’s input? For example, does a visitor click on an item in the menu bar? Then it is measured how long it takes for the page in question to load.
This rate of input should preferably be less than 100 milliseconds. If your FID of your website is above 300 milliseconds, then there is a good chance that you will scare off many visitors with this. Therefore, optimize the responsiveness of your website as quickly as possible.
Cumulative Layout Shift
The third factor measures visual stability. This involves looking at elements that move on your website, for example when a visitor is scrolling. The wish here is that as little content as possible (unexpectedly) shifts.
Why? According to Google, a shift is equivalent to a disruption or irritation. You must therefore ensure that all content is ‘fixed’ and that unexpected shifts are prevented.
This factor is indicated by a certain score. Is this score 0.1 or lower? Then you have the CLS in order. Is this score 0.25 or higher? Then it is important to take action as soon as possible. Such a score indicates that Google feels that there are too many shifts present. And as you have read above, these shifts cause irritations, according to Google.
Note: at CLS it is very important to focus on your mobile website. Because the screen of a smartphone is smaller, shifts have an even greater influence. You should therefore do everything you can to eliminate the shifts on your mobile website as much as possible.
Other Web Vitals
Because google’s Core Web Vitals are still relatively young, the Vitals are still in full development. At the moment, the above three factors are used, but it is quite possible that this will change in the long term.
The most important thing is that you look at your website very critically yourself. Does your website feel good? Is your website fast? Can you quickly perform the desired actions on your website? And are there certain things that annoy you on your own website? If that’s the case, it probably applies to your visitors as well.
So you have to look very critically at your own website. However, you should not only focus on the Core Web Vitals discussed above. We have listed some other Web Vitals for you:
- Content: if the page experience of your website is perfect, you’re well on your way. However, do you have lousy content on your website? Then you’re not going to score. The content and the Core Web Vitals must both be perfect.
- First Contentful Paint: Google is not only looking at the Largest Contentful Paint, but also at the First Contentful Paint. In other words: how quickly is the first content-rich element shown on the page.
- Overall website speed: of course Google also looks at the total loading speed of your website. With multiple tools you can measure this loading speed, where the speed must of course be as perfect as possible.
Conclusion
The fact that Google comes up with the Core Web Vitals is telling. Telling for the fact that Google’s algorithm is going to pay attention to many more aspects. Moreover, since the launch of Core Web Vitals, it has only been possible to measure the page experience. In an ideal world, the page experience should be perfect.
But: don’t lose sight of the other aspects either. As we have already described above, the content must also be perfect. Furthermore, it is important that you focus on link building and with the technology of your website. That’s where you ultimately know how to score the desired rankings within Google.
Could you use some help with this? Or do you run into problems with this? In these situations we are happy to assist you. We like to optimize your website in terms of page experience. Interest? Feel free to contact us to discuss all the possibilities.
