The three statistics
| Metric | Measure | Good value |
|---|---|---|
| LCP | Main content loading time | Under 2.5 seconds |
| INP | Reaction speed to interaction | Under 200 milliseconds |
| CLS | Visual stability | Below 0.1 |
How do you improve each statistic?
- LCP: optimize and compress images, use caching and a fast server
- INP: Reduce heavy scripting and spread the work of the browser
- CLS: reserve fixed space for images, advertisements and fonts
Lab versus field data
Lab tools such as PageSpeed Insights provide a snapshot under fixed conditions, while field data, based on real visitors, counts towards your ranking. Therefore, submit the field data Search Console, and use lab tools to find causes.
In practice
Speed is rarely the biggest problem; more often it is visual stability. A high CLS due to images or advertisements that load late and cause the page to jump immediately frustrates visitors. That fix is often small, reserving a fixed height, but the effect on the experience is great.
Core Web Vitals in context
Speed is part of technical SEO SEO, not a separate goal. It is best addressed in a broader SEO audit, where you see whether speed is really your weak spot or whether the loss lies elsewhere, such as with a SEO website migration.