Core Web Vitals Mastery
In 2021, Google formally integrated User Experience into the ranking algorithm. Today, CWV is the primary yardstick for measuring that experience.
The Metrics That Matter
LCP
Largest Contentful Paint
TARGET: < 2.5s
Measures loading performance. This is the time it takes for the largest image or text block to become visible.
INP
Interaction to Next Paint
TARGET: < 200ms
Replaced FID in 2024. Measures overall responsiveness to all user interactions throughout the page lifecycle.
CLS
Cumulative Layout Shift
TARGET: < 0.1
Measures visual stability. Does content jump around? This is often caused by images without defined dimensions.