Google’s Core Web Vitals update 2024 will change the digital world big time and how websites perform and rank in search engines. As part of Google’s broader user experience push, Core Web Vitals metrics will make sure sites deliver quality content and a smooth, fast and responsive experience. Now more than ever website owners, SEOs and developers need to understand and optimise for these metrics. This post will cover the components of the 2024 update, how it affects SEO and what you can do to make your website thrive under the new rules.
What’s Google’s 2024 Core Web Vitals Update
Google has always been about user experience and its Core Web Vitals initiative launched in 2020 was a big step towards measuring that experience through a set of key metrics. The 2024 update refines those metrics and introduces new standards for measuring website performance.
At its heart, the 2024 update is about how well websites meet user expectations on load time, responsiveness and visual stability. The introduction of Interaction to Next Paint (INP) metric allows Google to measure how users experience a website from the moment they interact with it until they leave. This means web developers and marketers need to understand how these metrics work and what they can do to optimise for them.
Core Web Vitals: The Metrics
The three original Core Web Vitals metrics—Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)—are still the foundation of this update with INP replacing FID. Each of these metrics focuses on a specific aspect of user experience and gives a comprehensive view of how users interact with a website. Here’s a breakdown of each:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
LCP measures the time it takes for the largest visible content on a web page to load, whether it’s an image, video or large block of text. Google sets the target for a good LCP score at 2.5 seconds or less. This metric is important because it directly affects the user’s first impression of a site’s speed. A slow LCP will frustrate users and they will abandon the site.
LCP Optimisation
LCP optimisation involves:
- Reducing server response time: Use a fast hosting provider and a Content Delivery Network (CDN).
- Optimising images: Compress and use next-gen formats like WebP.
- Minimising JavaScript and CSS blocking: Only load critical resources first to prevent rendering delays.
First Input Delay (FID) / Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
Before the 2024 update, First Input Delay (FID) was the metric for interactivity. FID measured the time it took for a webpage to respond to the user’s first interaction, like clicking a button or typing in a form. The new metric Interaction to Next Paint (INP) gives a more complete view of the entire interactive experience, not just the first but all user interactions throughout their session.
With INP, the target is to be responsive at 200ms or less to avoid delays between user actions and the website’s response.
INP Optimisation
To reduce interaction delays:
- Minimise JavaScript execution time: Break up long tasks and reduce main-thread work.
- Use web workers to handle background tasks without blocking the main thread.
- Optimise event handlers: Make sure event handlers run efficiently without causing delays.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
CLS measures the stability of a web page by tracking how often the layout shifts unexpectedly during the user’s session. Visual stability is important because unexpected shifts can ruin the user experience especially when users are interacting with dynamic elements. Google recommends a CLS score of 0.1 or less for a good user experience.
CLS Optimisation
To reduce layout shifts:
- Specify image dimensions in the HTML to prevent content from moving as images load.
- Reserve space for ads and dynamically injected content to prevent them from pushing other elements around.
- Don’t insert new content above existing content that users are interacting with.
SEO Impact of the 2024 Update
The 2024 Core Web Vitals update will have a big impact on SEO. Sites that don’t meet the new standards will see a drop in rankings, while those that excel in Core Web Vitals will see improved visibility on Google search results pages. Why? Because Google is increasingly prioritising user experience (UX) as a ranking factor. Sites that load fast, respond to user interactions and maintain visual stability will retain users and that signals to Google that the site is valuable.
User Experience as a Ranking Factor
The focus on user experience is a shift in SEO strategy. Previously, technical factors like keyword optimisation and backlinks were the main game in town. While those are still important, the 2024 update shows that performance metrics and user satisfaction will be even more important going forward.
Mobile Optimisation: Still a Priority
With most of the internet traffic coming from mobile devices, Google is still mobile-first indexing. Sites that are not mobile optimised, especially in terms of Core Web Vitals, will struggle to maintain rankings. Make sure mobile pages load fast, respond to user input and maintain a stable layout for both SEO and user retention.
Quality Content Still Matters
Despite the technical focus of the Core Web Vitals update, quality of content is still king. Google’s algorithm will still reward sites that have relevant and high quality content that answers users’ questions. So striking a balance between technical optimisation and content relevance is the key to success under the new update.
Core Web Vitals Optimisation Best Practices
Now that we know the importance of these metrics, what can website owners and developers do to make sure their sites are ready for the 2024 update?
1. Optmise Server Response Time
A slow server will impact both LCP and INP. Reduce server response time by:
- Upgrading your server.
- Using Content Delivery Networks (CDNs).
- Caching static content will make a big difference.
2. Compress and Optimise Media Files
Large media files can cause slow loading times and layout shifts. Use image compression tools, WebP format and lazy loading to make sure media doesn’t disrupt the user experience.
3. Minimise JavaScript and CSS
Heavy scripts can delay interactivity and shift page layout unexpectedly. Minify and defer non-essential JavaScript and CSS files to improve INP and CLS scores.
4. Reserve Space for Dynamic Content
Dynamic elements like ads and pop-ups can cause layout shifts that harm CLS. Make sure to reserve space for these elements by defining their size in CSS so they don’t push content around as they load.
5. Monitor and Test Continuously
Even after you’ve optimised, you need to continuously monitor performance using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse and Search Console. These tools will give you real time data on Core Web Vitals scores and tell you what needs to be improved.
User Experience and Engagement
Google’s update puts user experience at the top of SEO and for good reason. Page speed, responsiveness and visual stability will determine if a user stays on your site or bounces off. Sites that perform well in these areas have:
- Lower bounce rate.
- Higher user engagement.
- Higher conversion rate.
By optimising for Core Web Vitals you’ll not only improve your site’s SEO but also overall user satisfaction and retention.
Engagement Through Optimisation
A faster, more stable and responsive site will encourage users to dig deeper into content, engage with interactive elements and convert into customers. This will have a direct impact on business metrics as users will spend more time on sites that offer smooth experiences.
The Future: Google’s 2024 Update
As we move forward it’s clear Google’s 2024 update is just another step in the ongoing journey of how search engines value user experience. Going forward SEO will require a more integrated approach where technical optimisation and content quality work together to deliver amazing user experiences.
Future Proof
Businesses and SEO professionals need to be agile, regularly auditing their site, keeping up to date with the latest SEO trends and implementing best practices to stay ahead of Google’s algorithm updates. Core Web Vitals are here to stay and optimising them will be a key factor in maintaining and improving search rankings going forward.
Work with Experts
For those who find the technical bits daunting, working with SEO and web development experts can help. Companies like Search Engine Ascend offer bespoke services to optimise your site to the latest Google standards so you can stay ahead of the digital curve.
Conclusion
Google’s 2024 Core Web Vitals update is a big step in the journey to better user experience. The update will reward sites that are fast, responsive and visually stable and penalise those that don’t. By understanding and optimising for these metrics you’ll improve not only your SEO rankings but also user satisfaction and engagement. As SEO evolves user experience will be the key to success in the digital world.
