In a recent episode of the Search Off the Record podcast, John and Lizzi from Google's Search Relations team were joined by Rick Viscomi from the Chrome Web Performance Developer Relations team. The discussion centered around Core Web Vitals and the newly introduced Interaction to Next Paint (INP) metric.
https://x.com/googlesearchc/status/1773395230575788509?s=20
What are Core Web Vitals?
Rick explained that Core Web Vitals are metrics used to measure the health of the web. They include factors like how fast a page is loading and whether it's visually interrupting the user's concentration. The reason they are called 'core' metrics is that they are fundamental to the user experience.
Core Web Vitals include three metrics: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), and the newly introduced Interaction to Next Paint (INP).
Understanding Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
INP measures all interactions on a page and the full interaction latency. The number reported back is approximately the slowest of those interactions. INP is an improvement over its predecessor, First Input Delay (FID), as it measures more than just the first interaction and includes the full interaction latency.
The Importance of Core Web Vitals
Rick emphasized the importance of Core Web Vitals in ensuring a frictionless user journey. When a site is slow or unresponsive, users are likely to leave and go to a competitor's site. Therefore, Core Web Vitals are not just about being discoverable and marketing your site, but also about improving the user experience.
Core Web Vitals and SEO
John clarified that while Google does use Core Web Vitals in its ranking systems, site owners should not over-fixate on these metrics. The incremental changes may not be very visible in Search. Instead, site owners should focus on improving the overall user experience.
Final Thoughts
Rick encouraged site owners to regularly check their website's performance and make necessary improvements. He also reminded developers to use JavaScript responsibly as it can significantly impact a site's performance.
Lizzi concluded the discussion by reminding site owners not to panic if they can't achieve a perfect score in Core Web Vitals. What's important is to strive for a better user experience.
For more insights and discussions on Search, tune in to the Search Off the Record podcast.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are metrics used to measure the health of the web. They include factors like how fast a page is loading and whether it's visually interrupting the user's concentration. The Core Web Vitals include three metrics: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), and Interaction to Next Paint (INP).
2. What is Interaction to Next Paint (INP)?
Interaction to Next Paint (INP) is a metric that measures all interactions on a page and the full interaction latency. The number reported back is approximately the slowest of those interactions.
3. How are Core Web Vitals important for a website?
Core Web Vitals ensure a frictionless user journey. When a site is slow or unresponsive, users are likely to leave and go to a competitor's site. Therefore, Core Web Vitals are not just about being discoverable and marketing your site, but also about improving the user experience.
4. Do Core Web Vitals affect SEO?
Yes, Google does use Core Web Vitals in its ranking systems. However, site owners should not over-fixate on these metrics as the incremental changes may not be very visible in Search. Instead, site owners should focus on improving the overall user experience.
5. What should I do if I can't achieve a perfect score in Core Web Vitals?
Don't panic. What's important is to strive for a better user experience. If you've tried your best to improve your score and it's still not happening, focus on other aspects of your site that can enhance the user experience.