What are Core Web Vitals, and how do they influence technical SEO?

Core Web Vitals Overview:

Core Web Vitals are a set of user-centered performance metrics introduced by Google to measure page experience. They focus on loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability, playing a significant role in technical SEO and rankings.

Key Core Web Vitals Metrics:

1.????? Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures loading performance.

1. Goal: LCP should occur within 2.5 seconds of the page starting to load.
2. Cause of Poor LCP: Slow server response, large images, render-blocking resources.

2.????? First Input Delay (FID): Measures interactivity.

1. Goal: FID should be less than 100 milliseconds.
2. Cause of Poor FID: JavaScript execution delays, heavy third-party scripts.

3.????? Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability.

1. Goal: CLS should be less than 0.1.
2. Cause of Poor CLS: Unsized images, dynamic ads, or sudden content shifts.

How Core Web Vitals Influence SEO:

1. Ranking Signal: Google uses Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor. Sites with better scores have a competitive edge.
2. Improved User Experience: Faster and more stable pages reduce bounce rates and increase user engagement.
3. Mobile-First Optimization: Core Web Vitals are critical for mobile performance, aligning with Google’s mobile-first indexing policy.

How to Optimize Core Web Vitals:

1.????? Improve LCP:

1. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
2. Optimize and compress images.
3. Minimize render-blocking resources.

2.????? Enhance FID:

1. Minimize JavaScript and defer non-critical scripts.
2. Optimize third-party code.
3. Implement lazy loading for offscreen content.

3.????? Reduce CLS:

1. Specify dimensions for all images and videos.
2. Avoid inserting content above existing content dynamically.
3. Preload fonts to reduce layout shifts.

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, and Search Console to measure and monitor your Core Web Vitals performance.