Core Web Vitals are Google's measurements of real-world page experience: how fast the main content loads (LCP), how quickly the page responds to taps and clicks (INP), and how stable the layout is while loading (CLS). Good scores support your search rankings and, more importantly, keep visitors from leaving before they become customers.
The three Core Web Vitals and the scores to aim for
Metric | What it measures | Good score |
|---|---|---|
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) | How long the largest visible element, often a hero image or headline, takes to appear | 2.5 seconds or less |
Interaction to Next Paint (INP) | How quickly the page responds visually after a tap, click or key press | 200 milliseconds or less |
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) | How much content jumps around as the page loads | 0.1 or less |
Google evaluates these using data from real Chrome users, so your scores reflect what actual visitors experience, especially on mobile.
Why website speed matters for your business
Visitors leave slow sites. Every extra second of waiting gives people a reason to hit the back button and choose a competitor.
Speed supports rankings. Page experience is one of many signals Google considers, and fast sites also tend to be crawled and indexed efficiently.
Fast sites convert better. Forms, bookings and checkouts all perform better when the site feels instant.
Common causes of a slow website
Large, uncompressed images and background videos
Too many plugins, tracking scripts and third-party widgets
Slow or overloaded hosting
Render-blocking CSS and JavaScript
Web fonts loaded inefficiently
Images and embeds without set dimensions, which cause layout shifts
How to improve each Core Web Vital
Improving LCP
Compress and properly size your hero image, and use modern formats like WebP or AVIF
Load the main image with high priority instead of lazy-loading it
Use fast hosting and caching, plus a CDN for static files
Reduce render-blocking CSS and scripts
Improving INP
Remove unnecessary JavaScript and third-party scripts
Break up long-running scripts
Avoid heavy sliders and animation libraries
Improving CLS
Set width and height on images, videos and embeds
Reserve space for banners and ads before they load
Load fonts in a way that avoids sudden text reflow
How to check your Core Web Vitals
Run your key pages through Google PageSpeed Insights.
Check the Core Web Vitals report in Google Search Console for site-wide issues.
Test on a real phone over mobile data to feel what customers experience.
Frequently asked questions
Are Core Web Vitals a major ranking factor?
They are one of many signals. Relevant, helpful content matters most, but when competing pages are similar, a better page experience can help. Speed also has a direct effect on conversions.
Why is my score different every time I test?
Lab tests simulate conditions and can vary between runs. Field data in Search Console reflects real visitors over time and is the better long-term measure.
Can a WordPress site pass Core Web Vitals?
Yes. A lean theme, a limited set of quality plugins, optimized images and good hosting make passing scores very achievable. Read more in our comparison of custom websites, WordPress and website builders.
Get a faster website
We build fast websites from the start and optimize slow ones. See our web engineering services or book a strategy call for a speed review.