{"id":85453,"date":"2021-09-01T09:58:30","date_gmt":"2021-09-01T16:58:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/?p=85453"},"modified":"2023-08-14T02:54:21","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T09:54:21","slug":"core-web-vitals-lcp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bruceclay.com\/blog\/core-web-vitals-lcp\/","title":{"rendered":"Core Web Vitals: LCP \u2013 What It Is and How to Improve It for SEO"},"content":{"rendered":"
In May 2020, Google announced that \u201ccore web vitals\u201d would be part of a ranking algorithm update set to hit in 2021 called page experience<\/a>.<\/p>\n With the page experience update now rolled out, I wanted to revisit this topic. I\u2019ll add a few more tips we\u2019ve learned in the intervening months by helping many websites improve their core web vitals scores. Mostly, I want you to be able to take advantage of the potential ranking benefits for your well-tuned webpages.<\/p>\n Core web vitals measure core elements of a webpage that enhance user experience. Google has identified three core web vitals:<\/p>\n This article is part of our series on the Page Experience update. Here I\u2019ll discuss LCP or largest contentful paint:<\/p>\n LCP measures webpage load performance. More specifically, LCP measures how fast the webpage’s largest image or text block renders.<\/p>\n Google discusses LCP here<\/a>:<\/p>\n Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is an important, user-centric metric for measuring perceived load speed because it marks the point in the page load timeline when the page’s main content has likely loaded\u2014a fast LCP helps reassure the user that the page is useful. \u2026<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n Google states that in order to provide a good user experience, the largest image or text block should render on the webpage within the first 2.5 seconds.<\/p>\n LCP documentation<\/a> specifies which types of elements are considered for LCP, and include:<\/p>\n Here\u2019s an example of when the largest element of the page (a paragraph of text) renders before any other elements on the page:<\/p>\n The goal is to hit the recommended target loading speed on most of your pages. Google says<\/a> \u201cif at least 75 percent of page views to a site meet the \u2018good\u2019 threshold, the site is classified as having \u2018good\u2019 performance for that metric.\u201d You can learn more about how Google defines its thresholds here<\/a>.<\/p>\n We know that Google values a fast site and that things like page speed are already in its ranking algorithm. LCP is another way to ensure that webpages load fast so your website visitors have a good user experience and stay on your site.<\/p>\n So if you already have a fast site, are you in the clear? Not exactly. According to a study by Screaming Frog<\/a>, the majority are not prepared for the LCP thresholds.<\/p>\n Data shows that less than half of the websites studied (across 20,000 URLs) were considered good. Specifically, 43% of mobile and 44% of desktop URLs had a good LCP. The average render time was 3.13 seconds for mobile and 3.04 seconds for desktop.<\/p>\n In that study, the research correlated LCP and search rankings. The data is interesting, but there are too many factors to be able to say for certain how LCP influences rankings today.<\/p>\n As an incentive for website publishers to improve their performance metrics, Google shows a “fast page\u201d label<\/a> in search results on Android that have historically met or exceeded the thresholds for core web vitals, including LCP.<\/p>\n Websites with this label may see an uptick in organic traffic and time on site.<\/p>\n Google provides tools<\/a> to measure LCP in a lab and in the field, including:<\/p>\n When it comes to lab versus field data<\/a>, both can be useful. Lab is important for testing and working on improving your scores. You will get a greater variance in results, but lab data provides instant feedback.<\/p>\n Field data is more important when you’re trying to get the overall view of your site. The values represented will depend a lot on your users’ environments, for example, mobile versus desktop, their internet speed, their computer performance, etc. The field data is nice because it gives you an idea of how your site is performing for everyone, not just how it performs for you.<\/p>\n You can also measure LCP with the web-vitals JavaScript library, and you can learn more about that here<\/a>. This is useful if you have your own reporting or you want to build it into other reports.<\/p>\n To get started, Google provides a general roadmap<\/a> for how to use the tools provided to diagnose a core web vital. Out of the following list, the first three are good. I would wrap up after the third bullet by saying to publish your changes and start seeing the benefits of increased performance. The remaining bullets (4th to 6th) are “nice to haves.” The last bullet likely won’t apply to 90% of websites.<\/p>\n In general, LCP is impacted by the following:<\/p>\n Many of the things Google suggests when it comes to optimizing LCP<\/a> are things you may already be doing as part of a good SEO strategy to create a faster site.<\/p>\n Some tips to keep in mind as you are optimizing:<\/p>\n For more about this algorithm update, read the rest of our page experience series:<\/em><\/p>\n Need to go more in-depth on this topic? I invite you to watch our on-demand webinar 3 Expert Tips to Improve Core Web Vitals<\/a>. The extended Q&A at the end may just answer your toughest CWV questions!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Optimizing your website’s user experience and SEO ranking has become paramount. Core web vitals, a set of user-centric metrics introduced by Google, play a pivotal role in achieving these goals. In this whitepaper, we’ll explore how you can leverage core web vitals to elevate both the user experience and your website’s SEO ranking, backed by expert insights and practical tips.<\/p>\n Understanding the Significance of Core Web Vitals<\/strong><\/p>\n Core web vitals encompass three essential metrics: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). These metrics gauge loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability, respectively. Google emphasizes these metrics because they directly impact user engagement and satisfaction. A seamless user experience fosters longer sessions, lower bounce rates, and improved SEO rankings.<\/p>\n Elevating User Experience and SEO Ranking<\/strong><\/p>\n To optimize the user experience and SEO ranking using core web vitals, consider these expert tips:<\/p>\n Prioritize Loading Speed (LCP):<\/strong> Accelerate loading times for the largest content element on your pages, such as images or text blocks. Compress images and minimize server response times to ensure quick rendering within the first 2.5 seconds.<\/p>\n Enhance Interactivity (FID):<\/strong> Reduce First Input Delay by optimizing JavaScript code and minimizing main thread tasks. This enhances page responsiveness and provides a seamless browsing experience.<\/p>\n Maintain Visual Stability (CLS):<\/strong> Avoid unexpected layout shifts by specifying image dimensions and setting a proper size attribute for multimedia content. This prevents content from shifting, providing visual consistency.<\/p>\n Monitor and Iterate:<\/strong> Regularly monitor your core web vitals using tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights and Search Console. Iterate your optimizations based on feedback and evolving best practices.<\/p>\n Optimizing your website’s user experience and SEO ranking through core web vitals requires a meticulous approach. By understanding and fine-tuning LCP, FID, and CLS metrics, you can provide users with a seamless and engaging browsing experience while boosting your site’s visibility and ranking in search results. Stay informed, adapt to evolving standards, and make data-driven improvements to stay ahead in the digital landscape.<\/p>\n Step-by-Step Procedure: Optimizing User Experience and SEO with Core Web Vitals<\/strong><\/p>\n In May 2020, Google announced that \u201ccore web vitals\u201d would be part of a ranking algorithm update set to hit in 2021 called page experience. With the page experience update now rolled out, I wanted to revisit this topic. I\u2019ll add a few more tips we\u2019ve learned in the intervening months by helping many websites […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":85461,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1665,1347,1232,1666,1664,1114],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a>What Is Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)?<\/h2>\n
<\/a>How Is Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) Measured?<\/h2>\n
\nGoogle\u2019s LCP score<\/em><\/p>\n\n
\n\u201cLargest contentful paint,\u201d Google Developers<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>How Does Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) Impact SEO?<\/h2>\n
\n\u201cHow Many Sites Pass the Core Web Vitals Assessment?,\u201d Screamingfrog.co.uk<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a>How Do I Improve My Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) Score?<\/h2>\n
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<\/a>FAQ: <\/strong>How can I optimize my website’s user experience and SEO ranking using core web vitals?<\/h3>\n
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