Core Web Vitals (CWV) have become a buzzword in the SEO industry ever since Google integrated them into its ranking algorithm in June 2021. The metrics are designed to measure how users experience the speed, responsiveness, and visual stability of a page. But as SEO professionals scramble to optimize these metrics, a pertinent question arises: Are we over-investing our time and resources into something that might not be as impactful as we think?
The Community’s Take
The SEO community is far from reaching a consensus on the importance of CWV. Some professionals argue that these metrics only become a differentiating factor when your site’s CWV scores are significantly worse than your competitors’. The idea is akin to the survival adage, “You don’t have to outrun the bear; you just have to outrun the other guy.”
Others in the community question the weightage of CWV in the overall ranking algorithm. While it’s hard to pin down exact numbers, some speculate that for most websites, CWV might contribute to 0% of the ranking factors. However, if your site has poor CWV scores and your competitors excel in this area, you could potentially see a 10% loss in rankings. This perspective suggests that while CWV shouldn’t be ignored, it also shouldn’t monopolize your SEO strategy.
My Two Cents
From my experience, optimizing CWV is a time-consuming process that requires a significant investment in both human and financial resources. We implement real, substantial fixes rather than quick hacks like delaying JavaScript. Despite these efforts, and despite getting a nice green A+ from Googs, we’ve observed insignificant changes in either rankings or user experience metrics like bounce rate or time on site for small to midsized sites. Larger sites will benefit, but unless you have a paralyzing page speed problem, content and backlinks are still much more important.
For small to midsize websites, the focus should be more holistic. Page speed is undoubtedly important, but quality content is the cornerstone of any successful SEO strategy. In my opinion, content quality and relevance are the most potent ranking factors, perhaps only second to backlinks. And while Google may publicly emphasize the importance of other factors, their algorithm’s behavior suggests that content and backlinks still reign supreme.
Google’s Standpoint
Google has been the driving force behind the CWV movement, providing extensive documentation and tools to help webmasters improve their scores. However, it’s essential to approach Google’s guidelines with a critical mindset. While they offer valuable insights, they are not the be-all and end-all of SEO. Google has been known to send mixed messages, emphasizing one factor today and another tomorrow.
For those who wish to delve deeper into Google’s perspective on CWV, here are some authoritative resources:
What to Really Focus On
If you’re still keen on optimizing for CWV, here are the top three metrics you should focus on, along with some actionable tips:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This metric measures how quickly the main content of a page loads.
- Actionable Tips: Optimize and compress images, reduce server response times, and minimize the use of blocking CSS and JavaScript.
- First Input Delay (FID): FID measures the time it takes for a page to become interactive.
- Actionable Tips: Minimize the use of JavaScript and third-party code that can block the main thread, and leverage browser caching to speed up load times.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): CLS measures the visual stability of a page as it loads.
- Actionable Tips: Always specify dimensions for images and videos, and avoid inserting new content above existing content unless triggered by user interaction.
In the grand scheme of things, CWV is just one piece of the complex SEO puzzle. A balanced approach that also focuses on quality content, page speed, and a robust backlink profile is likely to yield better results in the long run.