The future is now! *Screams into the void* Okay, we didn’t have to come off that strong in the first paragraph of this blog post, but sometimes we have to use fun tactics to catch your attention. Did it work? Good. Now let’s talk about core web vitals.

When it comes to search engine optimization and the fate of your website, the future IS now. That’s because Google is changing how it views and ranks websites for 2021 and the foreseeable future. 

While keywords and proper SEO such as page titles and meta descriptions will still be important for your website, Google is starting to place more importance on user-experience. Enter stage left, Google’s core web vitals.

Core Web Vitals

Google’s Core Web Vitals were introduced in 2020 and consist of a set of three different metrics that are imperative for your site to be considered an authority on the internet. These web vitals are:

Largest Contentful Paint

One of the web vitals that Google looks at is the Largest Contentful Paint, or LCP. This metric is used to measure how fast it takes for a page’s main content to load on a website. Google’s recommended speed for LCP measurement is 2.5 seconds or less. Remember: Google is focusing on user experience - so having a page that loads fast makes sense to keep your audience engaged.

First Input Display

The second core web vital you need to be aware of is First Input Display. First Input Display, or FID, is simply the time that it takes for the interactivity on a page to become functional. If you want a good FID score on your website, you want it to be less than 100 ms. 

Cumulative Layout Shift

Last, but certainly not least, is Cumulative Layout Shift, or CLS. When Google looks at your CLS, it’s analyzing the unexpected movement of the content on the page. For your users to have a good experience on your website, Google wants your CLS to be less than 0.1. 

What Does it All Mean?

Good question. When you focus on improving the LCP, FID, and CLS metrics, then you’re working on improving the user-friendliness of your website. When Google crawls your website and finds that your core web vitals are within their recommended ranges, then your website will more likely be ranked higher in search engine results pages (SERP). 

And, when you rank higher on the SERP, your chances of reaching more customers increases. Don’t you love the sound of that?

If you need help building a website, no problem - Greyphin’s got your back. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do to help you get found online.