Core Web Vitals sound technical, but they measure something simple: does your website feel fast, responsive and stable to a real visitor? Google uses them as a ranking signal, so they are worth understanding. Here is what each one means, in plain English, and how to improve them.
What are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are three measures Google uses to judge real-world user experience: how quickly the main content loads, how fast the page responds to a tap or click, and how stable the layout is while loading. Together they tell Google whether your page feels good to use, especially on a phone.
LCP, INP and CLS explained
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): how long the main content takes to appear. Aim for under 2.5 seconds.
- INP (Interaction to Next Paint): how quickly the page responds when someone interacts. Aim for under 200 milliseconds.
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): how much the page jumps around as it loads. Aim for under 0.1.
Why do Core Web Vitals matter?
Two reasons: visitors and Google. Pages that load slowly or jump around frustrate people, who then leave, and Google uses Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor, so poor scores can hold back your rankings. Good scores keep visitors engaged and remove a handicap in search.
How do you improve Core Web Vitals?
Compress and size images properly, reserve space for images and ads so the layout does not jump, cut heavy scripts, and use good hosting and caching. These are the same fixes that make a site faster overall, which we cover in our website speed optimisation guide, and they feed straight into SEO.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check my Core Web Vitals?
Use Google's free PageSpeed Insights or the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console. They show your scores using real visitor data and flag exactly which pages and issues need attention, so you are fixing the right things.
Do Core Web Vitals affect SEO?
Yes, they are a confirmed ranking factor, though one of many. They will not outrank great content on their own, but poor scores can hold you back, and good ones remove that drag while keeping visitors happier.
What is a good Core Web Vitals score?
Aim for LCP under 2.5 seconds, INP under 200 milliseconds, and CLS under 0.1, measured on mobile. Hitting all three puts you in Google's "good" band and ahead of most small business sites. See our speed service.
Failing your Core Web Vitals? We get sites into the green. See our speed optimisation or get a free quote.