Google has been pushing hard to improve the experience of the web for users. In the past they’ve pushed for HTTPS everywhere and mobile optimization schemes like AMP pages, but their most recent change may have the largest effect on how every day users use the web, and how website owners approach their websites. This push is to start including three metrics, called Core Web Vitals, in the equation that determines a website’s page ranking on Google search results. These changes were made this month (May 2021) and websites that perform poorly on these metrics will find their page rankings suffering as a direct result.
The Metrics
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – The amount of time it takes to fully render the largest content element visible in the viewport, from the time the user requests the URL. This metric measures how quickly your website responds and indicates to a user that the website is loading.
This is the metric that is likely going to have the largest immediate effect on user experience. Ideally, LCP should happen in less than 2.5 seconds. Use statistics show us that if it takes longer than this you start to lose users who are impatient, so improving this metric should have a strong correlation with reducing your bounce rate as well as improving your Page Ranking.
This is our current GTMetrix report. We don’t have the smallest website, but with some smart choices we’ve made sure our users don’t have to wait to use it.
First Input Delay (FID) – The amount of time it takes for the browser/website to respond to user input, and when it is ready to do so. This is most important on interactive pages, but any page with navigation needs to keep this metric in mind as returning users may begin clicking through your navigation before the page is finished loading.
This metric will improve the ability of your users to navigate around complex systems like online stores without getting frustrated or having to wait for full page loads. This should result in additional interactions (forms filled out, sales made, newsletter signups).
Do you think this person is going to wait for your website to finish loading before they board their plane?
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – This measures how much the layout of the page changes as elements are loading in. This is meant to discourage websites where items move as a user is attempting to interact with them, one of our personal pet peeves here at LVL Up.
This metric will reduce the number of miss-clicks users make, and lower the frustration and overall friction of using your website making them more likely to follow through with your calls to action.
This is the face you make when a newspaper used up your last free article because you clicked on a link that wasn’t there a second ago.
To do well on these metrics, your website needs to load efficiently and quickly. You may need to generate critical CSS styles. You may need to change the order your resources are loaded or even the format. You may need to adjust what elements are on your page and how they are used. If you haven’t been keeping these items in mind, you could be looking at weeks of work ahead of you. It’s a big ask, but it will ensure that there is a faster, more usable, internet for everyone.
Our clients are in luck. The LVL Up developers have been pushing for optimized websites for their entire careers. We strive to launch the fastest and most efficient websites possible for our client needs. We understand Content Delivery Networks (CDNs), Caching, Preloading, Async Loading, Critical CSS, Mobile First Design, Lazy Loading, HTTP2, and on top of all of that, if you have a page element that is killing your scores, we have the development knowledge to rebuild it completely for you.
In summary, all three of these changes should improve the performance of your website as a sales tool, in addition to improving how it ranks on Google, so website owners should look at this as an opportunity rather than a burden. And if in the coming months you find yourself slipping down in search results, remember that website optimization is now officially part of SEO. Even if you do everything else right, you’ll find it hard to compete with a competitor with a website that handles optimization better than yours.
Looking for a website audit? Get in touch with us today.
