If you are a website owner, you are probably familiar with the term “SEO.” But have you heard of Core Web Vitals? These user-centric metrics are a big part of what Google uses to determine whether your website provides a positive user experience.
Announced back in May 2020, Core Web Vitals have become a major ranking factor in search results today, meaning that your website’s performance in these areas directly impacts your SEO rankings. Below, this SEO agency in Springfield, Illinois is going to discuss some of the key things you should know about Core Web Vitals and how to optimize your website to ensure you are ahead of the game.
What Are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are a set of user-centric metrics that measure a web page’s loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability. There are three Core Web Vitals:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): measures the loading speed of the largest content element on a web page. The ideal LCP score is 2.5 seconds or faster.
- First Input Delay (FID): measures a web page’s interactivity. FID measures the time between a user’s first interaction (such as clicking a button) and the browser’s response. The ideal FID score is 100 milliseconds or less.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): measures a web page’s visual stability. CLS measures how much the page layout shifts during loading. The ideal CLS score is less than 0.1.
How Does Core Web Vitals Impact SEO?
Have you ever visited a website that took forever to load, had buttons that would not respond, or caused the whole page to jump around as it loaded? If so, you know firsthand how frustrating a poor user experience can be. Fortunately, Google understands this, too, and wants to prioritize websites that provide the best user experience possible.
This is where Core Web Vitals enters the picture. But these user-centric metrics are more than just a nice-to-have for website owners. Google has confirmed that Core Web Vitals are a ranking factor in search results. So, why does this matter for your website’s SEO?
The answer is quite simple: websites that are optimized for Core Web Vitals will have an advantage over those not. Since Core Web Vitals are a confirmed ranking factor, websites that provide a positive user experience will rank higher in search results and attract more traffic. In other words, if you want your website to be seen by more people, you should have your website optimized for Core Web Vitals by a reputable SEO agency in Springfield, Illinois.
How to Optimize Your Website for Core Web Vitals
Now that we understand the impact of Core Web Vitals on SEO, let’s explore how to optimize your website for Core Web Vitals. Here are some tips:
- Speed it up: To ace this metric, you need to speed up your website’s loading time. You can achieve this by optimizing images, reducing the number of HTTP requests, and using a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
- Cut down delays: To reduce interactivity delays and improve your FID score, you need to minimize JavaScript and optimize third-party scripts.
- Keep it stable: To keep your CLS score in check, you need to prevent layout shifts. To do this, reserve space for images and ads, use set dimensions for media elements, and delay the loading of non-critical resources. Any professional SEO agency in Springfield, Illinois will be able to assist you with this.
- Keep an eye on Core Web Vitals: Don’t rest on your laurels. Regularly monitor your website’s Core Web Vitals using Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool or the Google Search Console to ensure that you are meeting the ideal scores and identify areas for improvement.
By following these tips, your website can be optimized for Core Web Vitals, improving the user experience and, ultimately, ranking higher in search results.
Looking for an SEO Agency in Springfield, Illinois?
Are you looking to improve your website’s performance on Google search results and stay ahead of the competition by having your website optimized? If so, and if you’re looking for the best SEO agency in Springfield, Illinois, look no further than Digital Destination LLC. With our experience and expertise in optimizing websites for Core Web Vitals, we can help you achieve the ideal scores for LCP, FID, and CLS, giving your website the best chance to rank highly in search results.
Contact us today at (312) 933-6806 to request a free consultation.