Are your Core Web Vitals Ready?

Google is changing how it ranks company websites. It wants to move away from a backlink-centric model to focus more on user experience. Google plans on doing this, by including Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor.

The term “Core Web Vitals” is a bit intimidating when you first encounter it. But it is just a catch-all term for a bunch of user experience variables. It includes things like how long pages take to load, interactivity, and visual stability.

Currently, Google plans on ranking companies according to the following scheme:

• Pass
• Needs improvements
• Fail

Brands that pass Google’s Core Web Vitals criteria can expect to continue ranking highly in SERPs. Those that need improvement will need to make changes quickly to avoid penalties. And those that fail, could see their position in SERPs fall the day the updates roll out.

What Metrics Will Google Use to Judge Core Web Vitals SEO?

So which metrics do Core Web Vitals concern, and what do they mean?

• Cumulative layout shift (CLS): Many brands are looking to hire developers to address CLS. This is the amount that the user’s view of pages shifts around as page elements load. Google wants brands to reduce this to a minimum, so that when users log on, their view doesn’t shift.
• First input delay (FID): Brands are also using local SEO service company skill sets to improve website interactivity. Brands need web developers to dive into the code and speed up responsiveness to user inputs.
• Largest contentful paint (LCP): LCP is yet another jargon-rich term that brands are hiring web developers to solve. It measures the delay, between when a user clicks and when the first image or text block loads. In light of this, SEOs are expanding their services. They need expertise in server backends, bandwidth requirements, and on-page image optimization.

How Do Web Developers Help You Get Ready for Core Web Vitals?

So how can the average business get ready for the changes arriving with Core Web Vitals?

Optimise Your Pages for Largest Contentful Paints

There are several ways that you can improve your LCP time. Many brands, for instance, are using SEO services to improve JavaScript and CSS render-blocking.

Before browsers can display content to users, they have to parse the HTML mark-up in a Document Object Model (DOM). The problem is that CSS and JavaScript elements, interrupt this process. This prevents the browser from going straight to the HTML, increasing page element load times. SEO experts get around this problem by minifying CSS and JavaScript files, or replacing them altogether.

You can also improve page load speeds by improving server responses. Establishing a content delivery network (CDN), allows you to send data from multiple servers. Under this setup, users don’t have to rely on a single server.

Reduce First Input Delay

You can reduce FID via several methods. One way is to break up “long tasks” which Google defines as taking more than 50 milliseconds - into smaller ones. For instance, you could break up JavaScript execution into smaller chunks.

Another tactic you can use, is to prioritize interactive element loading. This method loads buttons first while leaving things, like the background, until later.

You can also get SEO service companies to install a web worker. This tool allows you to execute JavaScript files in a separate thread.

Improve the Visible Stability of Your Site

Lastly, there are several methods that web developers use to improve the visual stability of your web pages. This is what Google calls CLS, or cumulative layout shift.

One tactic is to specify the exact size of your images and videos. This way, you can avoid them conflicting with browser widths. You can define their aspect ratios with CSS.

You’ll also need to consider how dynamic elements affect page layout. Special offers and GDPR banners can cause content to shift around. So too, can pop-ups and other interstitials.

Google recommends that you use placeholder elements to solve this problem. It also suggests that brands find alternatives to pop-ups to get signups.

Thirdly, you will need to consider your custom web font. These can also cause layout shifts. Where possible, try to preload your fonts. This lets you force browsers to load the most important elements first.

Can An SEO Service Company Help Your Enterprise Prepare For Core Web Vitals?

Google plans on rolling out Core Web Vitals in May 2021, which isn’t far away. Companies, therefore, need to start getting ready now.

iCentric can be your digital partner throughout the process. With us, you can get consultancy, SEO, and web design and development to prepare for the upcoming changes. Don’t get behind, make your enquiry now.

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