Since 2021, Google uses Core Web Vitals as ranking factors. Poor scores mean lower rankings — even with great content.
The Three Core Web Vitals
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Loading Speed
Time for the largest visible element to load. Good: under 2.5 seconds. Poor: over 4 seconds.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Responsiveness
How quickly the page responds when a user clicks or taps. Sticky buttons hurt this score.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Visual Stability
How much the page jumps as it loads. Images pushing text down, fonts swapping — all penalised.
How to Check Your Scores
Visit pagespeed.web.dev and enter your URL. It gives scores for mobile and desktop with specific recommendations.
How to Improve
- Compress images and use WebP format
- Use fast, quality hosting
- Enable caching and minify CSS/JavaScript
- Specify image dimensions to prevent layout shifts
All WebDevLab websites are built with Core Web Vitals optimisation from day one. Book a free audit.