Core Web Vitals are expected to become a major ranking factor for search engines. As a Digital Marketer, it has become more important for you to not only learn about core web vitals (CWV), but also why they’ve become so significant in terms of SEO Rankings.
In this guide, we’ll review Google’s Core Web Vitals and how you can leverage them to improve your SEO and website experience.
What Are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are a group of specific factors that are considered important in Google’s eye for a webpage’s overall user experience. The idea behind page experience is to provide a website that suits the best for users.
To figure-out the best webpage, Google has shared seven search signals that you have to focus on:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
- First Input Delay (FID)
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
- Mobile friendliness
- Safe browsing
- HTTPS encryption
- No Intrusive interstitials
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
The first factor in the web vitals is, largest contentful paint (LCP). LCP is the time taken by a page to showcase majority of its content on the screen from clicking a link. It is influenced by render time, largest image, video and text on your page. According to Google’s Core Web Vitals definition, to deliver a great page experience, the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) must be kept below 2.5 seconds. Therefore, make sure your website to load under 2.5 seconds.
First Input Delay (FID)
Once the contents are loaded, the next indication of a good user experience happens when users start to interact with the content. This is where First Input Delay (FID) comes into the scene. FID is the time taken by a webpage to interact with the user when they click on something in your page. For example: Choosing an option from a menu, Clicking on a link in the site’s navigation, etc. FID value of 100 milliseconds or less is recommended by Google for better user experience.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
The next core web vital is Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Google uses this factor to understand how stable a page is. We all have experienced a little change in the content of some websites while typing in a search box or playing a video. CLS accounts for the sum total of every shift in the layout of a webpage, therefore giving special importance to the visual stability of page. According to Google CLS value of 0.1 or less is great for your website.
Mobile friendliness
Since the arrival of smartphones, internet is being accessed more and more on mobile devices. If your page is not mobile-friendly, it will be difficult to view and use on a mobile device. A non-mobile-friendly site requires users to pinch or zoom in for reading the content. Users find this frustrating and are more likely to abandon the site. Therefore, Google has taken it as a serious note. Having an Accelerated Mobile Page (mobile friendly page) ensures your page to be mobile friendly.
Safe browsing
Safe browsing is yet another signal that Google has relied on for page experience. It states that your website should be free from any malicious or deceptive content. This ensures user’s protection against phishing attacks and social engineering sites.
HTTPS encryption
Having HTTPS on your page provides users with a more secure browsing experience by encrypting the data between a browser and the server. HTTPS encryption can be easily done by having an SSL certificate. Demanzo offers a free Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate for every website development made by us.
No Intrusive interstitials
No Intrusive interstitials may sound complicated. In simple terms they are essentially popup which tends to block most or all of a page, leading to bad user experience for desktop and mobile users alike. These elements cause frustration to the visitors and increase the bounce rate. However, some are exception to the rule like ethically advised notifications, such as popups for age verification, banner ads, etc.
The Bottom Line
We hope this guide gives you the required information for better understanding Google’s Core Web Vitals. Eventually, Google just wants what we all do till date (i.e.) better website experience for users. So, as long as you keep your focus on creating quality content that adds value to your visitors, your page will be in a good shape in the eyes of Google.
If you wish to have a full stack digital marketing agency to create a website for your business or to promote your website digitally do contact us.
