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SEOJanuary 20266 min read

Improving Core Web Vitals — A Practical Guide

What Are Core Web Vitals?


Core Web Vitals are a set of real-world, user-centered metrics that Google uses as ranking signals. They measure loading, interactivity, and visual stability.


LCP — Largest Contentful Paint


LCP measures how long it takes for the largest visible element to load.


**Common causes of poor LCP:**

  • Large unoptimized hero images
  • Render-blocking JavaScript and CSS
  • Slow server response times

  • **How to fix:**

  • Preload your hero image using rel="preload"
  • Use next/image in Next.js for automatic optimization
  • Move to a faster hosting provider or add a CDN

  • CLS — Cumulative Layout Shift


    CLS measures unexpected layout shifts during page load.


    **Common causes:**

  • Images without defined dimensions
  • Ads or embeds injected dynamically
  • Web fonts causing text to reflow

  • **How to fix:**

  • Always set width and height on images
  • Reserve space for dynamic content with min-height
  • Use font-display: optional or swap

  • FID / INP — Interactivity


    FID measures delay on first interaction. Google is replacing it with INP (Interaction to Next Paint).


    **How to fix:**

  • Break up long JavaScript tasks
  • Defer non-critical scripts
  • Use web workers for heavy computation

  • Measuring Progress


    After making changes always measure using:

  • Google Search Console — Core Web Vitals report
  • PageSpeed Insights — field and lab data
  • Chrome DevTools — Performance panel

  • Real improvement takes time to show in Search Console as it uses 28-day rolling data.

    SC
    Sandip Chavda
    Frontend Engineering Lead · Mumbai
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