Digital marketing term
Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals is the collective name for three core, user-experience-focused performance metrics Google uses to measure a web page's loading speed, interactivity readiness, and visual stability.
Detailed explanation
These metrics consist of LCP, which measures how long the largest content element takes to load; INP, which evaluates how quickly the page responds to user interaction; and CLS, which measures how much page elements unexpectedly shift. All three directly reflect real user experience.
Google has stated it uses these metrics as one of its ranking factors, though they don't carry as much weight as content quality and relevance. Still, poor scores can lead to visitor loss and, indirectly, a drop in conversion rate.
Technical SEO work to improve these scores includes optimizing images, reducing unnecessary JavaScript load, and shortening server response times; Google Search Console reports this data to site owners.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Core Web Vitals directly affect rankings?
- Yes, Google uses it as a ranking signal, but it doesn't carry as much weight as content quality.
- How is Core Web Vitals measured?
- It can be measured with tools like Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, and the Chrome User Experience Report.
Related terms
Internal links for the topic cluster — read these concepts together.
- SEOSEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the set of technical and content practices that help a website rank more visibly in organic search results.
- On-Page SEOOn-Page SEO: On-page search engine optimization. This digigund glossary entry explains how the term is used in digital marketing.
- Crawl BudgetCrawl Budget refers to the amount of resource search engine bots allocate to crawling a website's pages within a given time period; it especially affects how promptly important pages get indexed on large-scale sites.
- UXUX: Stands for user experience. This digigund glossary entry explains how the term is used in digital marketing.
- Bounce RateBounce Rate is the percentage of visitors who view only a single page and leave without further interaction.