The role of Core Web Vitals in SEO and Google rankings

Have you ever visited a website that took a long time to load and simply gave up waiting? Well, yes. Digital patience is short, and Google knows it. That's precisely why Core Web Vitals have become one of the most important pillars of modern SEO.

And these aren't just technical metrics. Rather, they represent the actual user experience. Ultimately, Google's goal is simple: to deliver results that actually work well. In this article, we'll explore them in depth. What are Core Web Vitals?, because they directly impact your website's ranking, and how to optimize them to ensure impeccable performance.

First, it's worth remembering: user experience is the new SEO. There's no point in having the best content if the site doesn't load, jumps around on the screen, or is slow to respond.

What are Core Web Vitals?

You Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics created by Google to measure user experience on a website. They evaluate three main factors: loading, interactivity, and visual stability.

In short, Core Web Vitals answer the following question:

“Did the user have a good experience accessing your website?”

These metrics were officially launched in 2020 and have been part of Google's ranking factors since 2021. Therefore, if your website doesn't meet the recommended parameters, your ranking in the results may plummet, even if your content is excellent.

Why Core Web Vitals Are So Important for SEO

In the past, SEO was dominated by keywords and backlinks. Today, this is still important, but the game has changed. After all, Google has evolved and wants results that work well for real people, not just algorithms.

The truth is simple: a fast, stable, and easy-to-interact website generates better engagement, lower bounce rates, and longer dwell times. And all of these signals are taken into account by the ranking algorithm.

“Core Web Vitals are ranking factors that measure the actual user experience regarding a website's speed, interactivity, and stability.”

Furthermore, with the advancement of generative search and Google AI Mode, pages that offer good technical expertise are more likely to appear as a trusted source in AI results.

The three main pillars of Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are comprised of three main metrics—each representing a dimension of user experience.

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

LCP measures the time it takes for the largest visible content element to appear on the screen. In other words, it's the user's perceived load time.

Ideally: LCP should occur within 2.5 seconds of the page starting to load.

If the LCP is high, it means that your site is “heavy” (perhaps due to large images, slow servers, or lack of caching).

First Input Delay (FID) / Interaction to Next Paint (INP)

FID measures how long it takes for a website to respond to a user's first interaction—such as clicking a button.

However, in 2024 Google announced an update: FID was replaced by INP (Interaction to Next Paint), which is a more complete metric and evaluates the total responsiveness of the website throughout navigation.

Ideally: INP should be less than 200 milliseconds.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

CLS measures the visual stability of your site. You know when you try to click on something, but the content suddenly moves, and you click elsewhere? That's an unstable layout. And Google penalizes it.

Ideally: CLS should be less than 0.1.

How to Measure Core Web Vitals

There are several tools for measuring these metrics, all of which offer free, detailed reports. The main ones are:

• PageSpeed Insights: Provides real user data (CrUX) and lab analysis.
• Google Search Console: has a specific tab called “Core Web Vitals”, showing URLs with problems.
• Lighthouse: Chrome tool that audits the complete performance of the page.
• Web.dev Measure: Great for testing changes in real time.

“You can measure your Core Web Vitals for free using PageSpeed Insights or Google Search Console, which show you real user metrics.”

Most importantly, these tools also indicate what is negatively impacting each metric and suggest specific optimizations.

How to optimize each metric in practice

Improve LCP: Speed and Loading

LCP depends on how quickly the main content appears. To improve it:

• Compress images and use modern formats like WebP;
• Use CDN (Content Delivery Network);
• Enable browser cache;
• Optimize the server (use HTTP/2 and avoid heavy plugins).

“LCP improves when images are optimized, the server is fast, and content loads efficiently.”

Also, check for third-party scripts like ads, widgets, and pop-ups. They often slow down loading times.

Optimize INP: response time and interactivity

To optimize INP, you need to reduce the latency between the click and the website response.

• Break long scripts into smaller tasks;
• Use Lazy Loading to load only what you need;
• Minimize the use of blocking JavaScript;
• Avoid cluttering the DOM with useless elements.

In short: did the user click? The website must respond instantly.

Reduce CLS: Visual Stability

Nothing is more annoying than a page "jumping" on the screen. To fix it:

• Always set fixed widths and heights for images and videos;
• Reserve space for dynamic ads;
• Avoid inserting banners or elements late in loading.

A stable layout conveys confidence and reduces visitor frustration—something Google values.

Recommended tools for analysis and improvement

Optimizing Core Web Vitals doesn't have to be done in the dark. There are tools that help with both diagnosis and implementation:

• PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse (Google): Ideal for detailed analysis and technical reports.
• GTmetrix: evaluates performance and suggests visual improvements.
• WebPageTest: Allows you to test loading in different locations and connections.
• Chrome DevTools: Useful for identifying script and CSS bottlenecks.

These tools should be used continuously. After all, each update to the site can affect performance.

Optimizing Core Web Vitals on WordPress Sites

WordPress is one of the most versatile and powerful platforms in the world, but it can also become a major performance culprit if not configured correctly. Therefore, with the right plugins, you can achieve exceptional results in Core Web Vitals without needing a full-time developer for every tweak.

In the Vero Contents, we treat technical performance as a strategic part of SEO. Therefore, if your website is in WordPress, these are the tools that really work to optimize Core Web Vitals:

1. WP Rocket

One of the most comprehensive and easy-to-use caching plugins. It improves LCP and INP by optimizing CSS and JavaScript file delivery, enabling smart caching, and implementing lazy loading of images.

Vero's Tip: Enable the “Delay JavaScript Execution” option to reduce blocking scripts and speed up perceived loading.

2. ShortPixel (or Imagify)

These plugins automatically optimize images without loss of quality, which is essential for LCP.

Vero's Tip: convert all images to WebP format, which loads up to 40% faster than JPG or PNG.

3. Performance Matters

Ideal for eliminating "dead weight" on your website. Primarily, it allows you to disable unnecessary scripts, emojis, and functions that overload the website.

Vero's Tip: disable global loading of plugin scripts (such as contact forms or sliders) on pages where they are not used.

4. Asset CleanUp or Flying Scripts

Both help defer the loading of non-essential scripts initially, which is great for improving INP and response time.

Vero's Tip: combine use with WP Rocket for an even more consistent result.

5. Autoptimize

Minifies and combines CSS and JS files, reducing the overall page size and the number of requests.

Vero's Tip: avoid combining all files into one, as HTTP/2 already optimizes simultaneous requests.

6. AIOSEO or Rank Math

Although these are SEO plugins, they also offer features that directly impact page experience, such as integration with Schema Markup, indexing improvements, and performance error detection.

Vero's Tip: Configure rich snippets (FAQ, How-To). After all, they increase visibility and help with rankings via Google AI Mode.

7. Cloudflare CDN

It's not a plugin, but it integrates easily with WordPress. Most importantly, it distributes content across global servers, reduces latency, and even offers automatic image optimization and code minification.

Vero's Tip: Enable “Polish” and “Rocket Loader” to maximize delivery and stability.

“The best plugins for optimizing Core Web Vitals in WordPress include WP Rocket, ShortPixel, Perfmatters, Autoptimize, and Cloudflare CDN integration.”

In summary:

With a good configuration and the right tools, WordPress can achieve scores above 90 on PageSpeed Insights, something many believe is impossible.

The Impact of Core Web Vitals on Search and Google AI Mode

With the arrival of Google AI Mode (the new search mode with artificial intelligence), the technical performance of a website has gained even more importance.

To the AI-generated search responses People tend to prioritize sources that load quickly, are stable, and have a clear structure. In other words, optimizing your Core Web Vitals also increases the chances of your site being cited by AI as an authoritative source.

"Sites with optimized Core Web Vitals are more likely to appear in Google AI Mode because they offer a better experience and structure for artificial intelligence to interpret."

Additionally, Google uses user behavior data (such as dwell time and bounce rate) to validate a page's relevance. Therefore, the better the technical experience, the more relevant your site becomes.

Core Web Vitals and Conversion: The Link Between SEO and Sales

You might be wondering, “Okay, but does this actually generate sales?”

The answer is yes, and it's straightforward. After all, studies show that fast websites convert up to 70% more than slow websites.

This happens because page experience impacts users' emotional behavior. In other words, when loading times are fast and navigation is fluid, the mind associates this with credibility and security.

Companies that invest in Core Web Vitals observe:

• increase in conversion rates;
• greater number of qualified leads;
• significant reduction in cart abandonment.

In other words, improving Core Web Vitals is investing in conversion and sales, not just in SEO.

The future of page experience

Google is increasingly driven by experience and context. In the coming years, performance metrics will be further refined, considering factors such as accessibility, energy consumption, and even digital sustainability.

Core Web Vitals are just the beginning of this revolution.

Companies that anticipate and adopt a culture of continuous optimization will come out ahead, especially in the scenario B2B, where trust and credibility are decisive in the purchasing process.

Conclusion

In short, ignoring Core Web Vitals is like driving a Formula 1 car with the handbrake on. After all, they are the link between technique and experience, SEO and results, and users and Google.

Therefore, optimizing your website for LCP, INP, and CLS improves not only your ranking, but also your brand's engagement, conversion, and perceived value.

So, if you want to stand out in searches and be remembered by users, start now. Perform a diagnostic on PageSpeed Insights, adjust what is necessary and monitor the results.

And it is precisely one of the differences of Vero Contents: combine design, SEO and technical performance in a single project, from the first code to the final ranking on Google.

Speak to an expert and see how we can help your company achieve amazing search results.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions about Core Web Vitals

1. What are Core Web Vitals?

These are metrics created by Google that evaluate the user experience in three aspects: speed (LCP), interactivity (INP) and visual stability (CLS).

2. Do Core Web Vitals influence Google rankings?

Yes. Since 2021, they are considered direct ranking factors, especially on mobile devices.

3. How do I know if my website has good Core Web Vitals?

Use Google Search Console or PageSpeed Insights. They show real metrics and indicate which pages need fixing.

4. Do I need to be a programmer to improve Core Web Vitals?

No. Some simple optimizations, like compressing images and enabling caching, can already yield great results. But hiring a technical SEO specialist can speed up the process.

5. How often should I review Core Web Vitals?

Whenever you make changes to your site or every three months to ensure that performance remains within Google's recommendations.

Article published on 07/15/2024 and updated on that date.

Marcel Castilho

Marcel Castilho is a specialist in digital marketing, neuromarketing, neuroscience, mindfulness and positive psychology. In addition to being an advertiser, he also has a Master's degree in Neurolinguistic Programming. He is the founder, owner and CEO of Vero Contentes and the offline agency VeroCom.