Technical SEO
What are Core Web Vitals.
In short
Three Google metrics describing user experience: how fast the main content loads (LCP), how quickly the page responds to interactions (INP) and how stable the layout is (CLS). Measured on data from real Chrome users.
Three metrics
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): how fast the largest element on screen loads. Good: up to 2.5 s.
- INP (Interaction to Next Paint): how quickly the page responds to clicks and taps. Good: up to 200 ms. It replaced FID in March 2024.
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): how much elements move while loading. Good: up to 0.1.
Where the data comes from
Google assesses Core Web Vitals using data from real Chrome users (the CrUX report), not a single test. A page passes when at least 75% of visits fall within the thresholds. That is why a lab score in PageSpeed Insights can differ from what Search Console shows.
How much they affect rankings
Google notes that good Core Web Vitals do not guarantee top rankings, and content that answers the query matters more. Speed does have a big impact on whether users stay and buy, so it is worth working on regardless of SEO.
Common causes of poor scores
- Large, uncompressed images at the top of the page (LCP).
- Heavy scripts such as chat widgets, ad pixels and bloated themes (INP).
- Images and ads without reserved space, late-loading fonts, cookie banners pushing content down (CLS).
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