A slow website loses visitors and rankings. Google measures user experience with three Core Web Vitals, which are part of its ranking signals.

The three metrics

  • LCP – Largest Contentful Paint: how quickly the main content (often a hero image or headline) appears. Target: under 2.5 seconds.
  • INP – Interaction to Next Paint: how quickly the page reacts to clicks and taps. Target: under 200 milliseconds.
  • CLS – Cumulative Layout Shift: how much the layout jumps while loading. Target: under 0.1.

Google uses real-user data from Chrome; you can see your scores in Search Console and PageSpeed Insights.

Improving LCP

  • Compress and resize images; use modern formats (WebP, AVIF)
  • Preload the hero image and critical fonts
  • Use fast hosting and caching (server cache, CDN)
  • Avoid large sliders and render-blocking scripts above the fold

Improving INP

  • Reduce heavy JavaScript and third-party scripts (chat widgets, trackers)
  • Split long tasks and load non-critical code later
  • Avoid unnecessary page builders and bloated themes

Improving CLS

  • Always set width and height on images and videos
  • Reserve space for ads, embeds and cookie banners
  • Load web fonts with font-display: swap and similar fallback sizes

WordPress-specific tips

  • Choose a lightweight theme
  • Limit plugins to what you really need
  • Use a caching plugin and image optimisation
  • Keep PHP and WordPress up to date

Why it matters beyond SEO

Faster pages convert better. Every second of delay increases bounce rates, especially on mobile connections.

Monitoring

Check Core Web Vitals after every major change. Performance is not a one-time project; new plugins, scripts and content can slow a site down over time.

All our websites are built with performance budgets and tested before launch – and our hosting is tuned for fast delivery.

Planning a project like this? Our AI project assistant asks the right questions for your field and turns your answers into a clear brief – then our team near Munich sends a free, non-binding quote within 24 hours on business days. Start now or read the complete Web Development guide.
#Performance#Core Web Vitals#SEO#Page speed