Google Algorithm changes over the last year or two have caused a lot of heartache. I’ve read many threads in various places about how website managers and owners are seeing dramatic changes in their traffic. It seems intuitive to use Google Tools, like their Core Web Vitals, as part of this process, but you should have the right expectations of what it’s actually providing you.
Scores Are Only Part Of The Equation
I have always held strong opinions about chasing a score when it comes to improving your website’s overall performance. Too many WordPress website owners lose track of the fact that a great score is only ONE part of what determines whether your website is doing what it is supposed to.
It’s easy to get blinders when you use performance diagnostic tools to test your website. Having suggestions and metrics is immensely helpful when you want to make improvements. Being able to visibly see the impact of your changes via a score or grade is also helpful to ensure you’re going in the right direction. But don’t get too hyper-focused on the numbers.
The purpose of a website is to have an online presence. That presence ensures potential customers and clients can find you, learn more about you, or even buy from you online. While diagnostic tools can tell you how smoothly your tech stack is running, they cannot tell you if these website visitors are happy with their experience.
Core Web Vitals Are About User Experience
I recently published a new lesson in our Website Management Foundations course. In that lesson, I closed our topic on diagnostic tools by stating that whatever diagnostic tools you choose to use, it’s important you don’t lose sight of creating a positive user experience overall. User Experience is the most important metric.
It seems Google agrees. Google’s Search Advocate, John Mueller, shared this on LinkedIn:
We’ve been pretty clear that Core Web Vitals are not giant factors in ranking, and I doubt you’d see a big drop just because of that. That said, having a website that provides a good experience for users is worthwhile, because if users are so annoyed that they don’t want to come back, you’re just wasting the first-time visitors to your site, regardless of where they come from.
Here’s another article that picked up on this comment as well.
User Experience Plays A Part in Rankings
While there is no official playbook for ranking factors, there are some who have collected a pretty solid list of what Google is likely looking at. Many of these potential ranking factors are part of a website’s lifecycle. Things like backlinks, sharing content, and bounce rates all work together to paint the algorithm a larger picture of your website’s overall quality.
So, how do Core Web Vitals contribute to this?
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP):
- LCP is about loading speed. Speed influences the user’s first impression. If content loads quickly, users are more likely to stay engaged and view the rest of the site. Fast-loading pages can mean lower bounce rates. Happy visitors stick around and spend more time on the page if you can catch their attention with your content. These metrics imply quality to the algorithm.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP):
- INP is about serving additional elements up in a timely manner. It ensures that users can interact with elements like buttons or forms without lag. When users don’t have to wait for something to load when scrolling or pause their reading to wait for a form confirmation, it creates a responsive experience. This feeling creates a positive impact which helps instill brand loyalty and keeps them around the site longer. Loyal and happy visitors share their experiences, increasing your brand footprint.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS):
- CLS is about providing a stable experience. Preventing unexpected shifts in layout, such as buttons or text moving while users interact, ensures they don’t accidentally click the wrong thing. Frustrated users bounce away quickly and will be less likely to think well of your brand. Thus engaging less with your content more and more over time.
Making Users Happy Helps Rankings
While it’s not the only indicator of where you can impact your users’ experience with your website, Core Web Vitals is a great place to start.
- Fast sites build a reputation for professionalism and reliability.
- Responsive interactions demonstrate your brand values and show that you respect the users’ time.
- Stable visuals show you pay attention to detail and boost your credibility with visitors.
