SEO Basics: A Comprehensive Guide for Beginners - Backlinko
SEO involves creating and publishing helpful, reliable, and people-first content on a particular topic. And optimizing it for search engines so ...
Core Web Vitals
Faster page speed improves user experience and can positively impact search engine rankings. Google uses <anchor>Core Web Vitals</anchor> metrics to assess page speed. These include:
Core Web Vitals: What They Are & How to Improve Them
Core Web Vitals: What They Are & How to Improve Them

[Backlinko](/ "Backlinko")

- Articles






Articles

- Popular
- SEO Fundamentals
- Content Marketing
- Link Building
- Marketing

- [What Is SEO?For people that are new to search engine optimization.](/hub/seo/what-is-seo)
- [SEO ChecklistCovers technical SEO, On-page SEO, and keyword research.](/seo-checklist)
- [SEO Audit Checklist18-step guide to get higher Google rankings.](/seo-site-audit)
- [SEO StrategyLearn exactly how to create a strategy, step by step.](/seo-strategy)
- [Keyword Research for SEOExactly how to do keyword research in 2024.](/keyword-research)
- [SEO Competitor AnalysisLearn how to outrank your rivals in the SERPs.](/seo-competitor-analysis)
- [Google E-E-A-TUnderstand what it is and how to demonstrate it.](/google-e-e-a-t)
- [Internal Linking for SEOKey for any site that wants higher rankings in Google.](/hub/seo/internal-links)
- [Keyword Research for SEOFind and target the right search terms for your content](/keyword-research)
- [Technical SEOTechnical SEO is still SUPER important.](/technical-seo-guide)
- [On-Page SEOOptimize for UX, bounce rate, search intent, and more.](/on-page-seo)
- [Ecommerce SEOBoost your online store’s visibility in search results](/ecommerce-seo)

- [SEO Basics: A Beginners GuideStart your SEO journey with fundamental concepts](/seo-basics-for-beginners)
- [The Ultimate SEO TutorialMaster SEO from start to finish](/seo-tutorial)
- [Pillar PagesThe foundation of an effective SEO strategy.](/pillar-pages)
- [How to Do SEO for Your New WebsiteLaunch your site with a strong SEO foundation](/seo-for-new-website)
- [Important SEO TipsQuick wins to improve your search engine rankings](/actionable-seo-tips)
- [Small Business SEOEffective strategies to compete locally and beyond](/small-business-seo)
- [Schema MarkupMaster schema markup to enhance SEO.](/schema-markup-guide)
- [Internal LinkingOptimize internal links for better SEO.](/hub/seo/internal-links)
- [Website Migration ChecklistEssential steps for a smooth site migration.](/website-migration-checklist)

- [What Is Content Marketing?Comprehensive guide for beginners](/hub/content/what-is-content-marketing)
- [SEO Copywriting: The Definitive GuideWrite content that ranks and converts](/seo-copywriting)
- [How to Write a Blog Post: The Definitive GuideCraft engaging posts that readers love](/write-a-blog-post)
- [12 Content Marketing TrendsStay ahead with the latest strategies](/content-marketing-this-year)
- [What Is a Content Strategy?Plan your content for maximum impact](/hub/content/content-strategy)
- [Content Marketing ExamplesGet inspired by successful campaigns](/content-marketing-examples)
- [How to Scale Content CreationProduce more high-quality content efficiently](/scale-content)
- [Content Writing 101Tips, strategies and advanced techniques.](/hub/content/writing)
- [Types of Content MarketingExplore diverse formats to engage your audience](/hub/content/types)
- [CopywritingDiscover best practices, get insights](/seo-copywriting)

- [Link Building for SEOAn in-depth guide, complete with case studies](/link-building)
- [What are Backlinks?Understand the backbone of off-page SEO](/hub/seo/backlinks)
- [How to Get High Quality Backlinks7 proven strategies for building high quality backlinks](/high-quality-backlinks)
- [Link Building StrategiesAll the tactics you need to know](/link-building-strategies)
- [7 Link Building ServicesTrusted outreach services to boost your backlink profile](/link-building-services)
- [How To Do a Backlink AuditAnalyze your link profile to uncover opportunities](/step-by-step-backlink-audit)
- [Skyscraper MethodBoost traffic with this popular technique](/skyscraper-technique)
- [Increase Website Authority](/increase-domain-authority)

- [Competitor AnalysisLearn how to analyze your competitors effectively.](/competitor-analysis)
- [Effective Product Page ExamplesBest examples of high-converting product pages.](/product-page-examples)
- [Popular Social Media PlatformsTop social media platforms you need to know.](/social-media-platforms)
- [How to Create a Website (from Scratch)Step-by-step guide to building a website in 2024.](/how-to-create-a-website)

- Tools






Tools

- Free Tools
- Tool Guides
- Tool Reviews

- [Keyword Research ToolDiscover new keywords and performance data to use in your site content.](/tools/keyword)
- [Backlink CheckerDiscover who’s linking to you and your competitors.](/tools/backlink-checker)
- [Website Authority CheckerEnter a domain to evaluate its overall quality and SEO performance.](/tools/website-authority)
- [Keyword Rank CheckerEnter your domain to identify find your top traffic driving keywords.](/tools/rank-checker)
- [Keyword Difficulty CheckerEvaluate how hard it is to rank for specific keywords.](/tools/keyword-difficulty-checker)
- [SERP CheckerAnalyze top-ranking pages and SERP features for any keyword.](/tools/serp-checker)
- [Website Traffic CheckerEnter a domain and explore all of the traffic sources.](/tools/website-traffic-checker)
- [Keyword GeneratorFinds relevant terms from a seed keyword.](/tools/keyword-generator)

- [SEO ToolsOur top picks for optimizing your site.](/best-free-seo-tools)
- [Keyword Research ToolsBest tools for uncovering keywords.](/keyword-research-tools)
- [Content Marketing ToolsEssential tools for content marketers.](/best-content-marketing-tools)
- [Link Building ToolsTop tools to boost your backlink profile.](/link-building-tools)
- [Rank Tracking ToolsThe best tools to monitor rankings.](/best-rank-tracking-tools)
- [Local SEO ToolsBest tools for local SEO strategies.](/local-seo-tools)
- [SEO Agency ToolsTop software solutions for SEO agencies.](/seo-software-agencies)
- [AI SEO ToolsTop SEO tools with AI capabilities.](/ai-seo-tools)
- [Sitemap Generator ToolsBest tools for creating XML sitemaps.](/sitemap-generator-tools)
- [Digital Marketing ToolsEffective tools for every budget.](/best-digital-marketing-tools)
- [ChatGPT AlternativesWe tested dozens to find the best of the best.](/chatgpt-alternatives)

- [Semrush ReviewComprehensive analysis of Semrush’s tool suite.](/semrush-review)
- [Ahrefs ReviewIn-depth look at Ahrefs’ features and performance.](/ahrefs-review)
- [Ahrefs vs SemrushCompares Ahrefs and Semrush for SEO.](/ahrefs-vs-semrush)
- [Clearscope ReviewEvaluates Clearscope’s content optimization capabilities.](/clearscope-review)
- [Majestic SEO ReviewReviews Majestic’s backlink analysis tool.](/majestic-seo-review)
- [Surfer SEO ReviewAssesses Surfer SEO’s optimization features.](/surfer-seo)
- [Serpstat ReviewAnalyzes Serpstat’s SEO and PPC tools.](/serpstat-review)
- [SparkToro ReviewReviews SparkToro’s audience research capabilities.](/sparktoro-review)

- [Templates](/templates/marketing)
- [About](/about-backlinko)
- [Newsletter](/newsletter)

[Try Semrush](https://www.semrush.com/signup/?custom=backlinko&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=navigation)

### Semrushhelps you:

Close

- Do keyword research
- Audit your local listings
- Perform competitor analyses
- Manage social media accounts
- And much more!

### Backlinko readers get:

A 14-day trial for premium features. 55+ tools.

[Free access](https://www.semrush.com/blog/what-can-i-do-with-a-free-account-from-semrush/?utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=navigation) for core features.

Menu

- Articles








ArticlesBack



- Popular

- [What Is SEO?For people that are new to search engine optimization.](/hub/seo/what-is-seo)
- [SEO ChecklistCovers technical SEO, On-page SEO, and keyword research.](/seo-checklist)
- [SEO Audit Checklist18-step guide to get higher Google rankings.](/seo-site-audit)
- [SEO StrategyLearn exactly how to create a strategy, step by step.](/seo-strategy)
- [Keyword Research for SEOExactly how to do keyword research in 2024.](/keyword-research)
- [SEO Competitor AnalysisLearn how to outrank your rivals in the SERPs.](/seo-competitor-analysis)
- [Google E-E-A-TUnderstand what it is and how to demonstrate it.](/google-e-e-a-t)
- [Internal Linking for SEOKey for any site that wants higher rankings in Google.](/hub/seo/internal-links)
- [Keyword Research for SEOFind and target the right search terms for your content](/keyword-research)
- [Technical SEOTechnical SEO is still SUPER important.](/technical-seo-guide)
- [On-Page SEOOptimize for UX, bounce rate, search intent, and more.](/on-page-seo)
- [Ecommerce SEOBoost your online store’s visibility in search results](/ecommerce-seo)

- SEO Fundamentals

- [SEO Basics: A Beginners GuideStart your SEO journey with fundamental concepts](/seo-basics-for-beginners)
- [The Ultimate SEO TutorialMaster SEO from start to finish](/seo-tutorial)
- [Pillar PagesThe foundation of an effective SEO strategy.](/pillar-pages)
- [How to Do SEO for Your New WebsiteLaunch your site with a strong SEO foundation](/seo-for-new-website)
- [Important SEO TipsQuick wins to improve your search engine rankings](/actionable-seo-tips)
- [Small Business SEOEffective strategies to compete locally and beyond](/small-business-seo)
- [Schema MarkupMaster schema markup to enhance SEO.](/schema-markup-guide)
- [Internal LinkingOptimize internal links for better SEO.](/hub/seo/internal-links)
- [Website Migration ChecklistEssential steps for a smooth site migration.](/website-migration-checklist)

- Content Marketing

- [What Is Content Marketing?Comprehensive guide for beginners](/hub/content/what-is-content-marketing)
- [SEO Copywriting: The Definitive GuideWrite content that ranks and converts](/seo-copywriting)
- [How to Write a Blog Post: The Definitive GuideCraft engaging posts that readers love](/write-a-blog-post)
- [12 Content Marketing TrendsStay ahead with the latest strategies](/content-marketing-this-year)
- [What Is a Content Strategy?Plan your content for maximum impact](/hub/content/content-strategy)
- [Content Marketing ExamplesGet inspired by successful campaigns](/content-marketing-examples)
- [How to Scale Content CreationProduce more high-quality content efficiently](/scale-content)
- [Content Writing 101Tips, strategies and advanced techniques.](/hub/content/writing)
- [Types of Content MarketingExplore diverse formats to engage your audience](/hub/content/types)
- [CopywritingDiscover best practices, get insights](/seo-copywriting)

- Link Building

- [Link Building for SEOAn in-depth guide, complete with case studies](/link-building)
- [What are Backlinks?Understand the backbone of off-page SEO](/hub/seo/backlinks)
- [How to Get High Quality Backlinks7 proven strategies for building high quality backlinks](/high-quality-backlinks)
- [Link Building StrategiesAll the tactics you need to know](/link-building-strategies)
- [7 Link Building ServicesTrusted outreach services to boost your backlink profile](/link-building-services)
- [How To Do a Backlink AuditAnalyze your link profile to uncover opportunities](/step-by-step-backlink-audit)
- [Skyscraper MethodBoost traffic with this popular technique](/skyscraper-technique)
- [Increase Website Authority](/increase-domain-authority)

- Marketing

- [Competitor AnalysisLearn how to analyze your competitors effectively.](/competitor-analysis)
- [Effective Product Page ExamplesBest examples of high-converting product pages.](/product-page-examples)
- [Popular Social Media PlatformsTop social media platforms you need to know.](/social-media-platforms)
- [How to Create a Website (from Scratch)Step-by-step guide to building a website in 2024.](/how-to-create-a-website)

- Tools








ToolsBack



- Free Tools

- [Keyword Research ToolDiscover new keywords and performance data to use in your site content.](/tools/keyword)
- [Backlink CheckerDiscover who’s linking to you and your competitors.](/tools/backlink-checker)
- [Website Authority CheckerEnter a domain to evaluate its overall quality and SEO performance.](/tools/website-authority)
- [Keyword Rank CheckerEnter your domain to identify find your top traffic driving keywords.](/tools/rank-checker)
- [Keyword Difficulty CheckerEvaluate how hard it is to rank for specific keywords.](/tools/keyword-difficulty-checker)
- [SERP CheckerAnalyze top-ranking pages and SERP features for any keyword.](/tools/serp-checker)
- [Website Traffic CheckerEnter a domain and explore all of the traffic sources.](/tools/website-traffic-checker)
- [Keyword GeneratorFinds relevant terms from a seed keyword.](/tools/keyword-generator)

- Tool Guides

- [SEO ToolsOur top picks for optimizing your site.](/best-free-seo-tools)
- [Keyword Research ToolsBest tools for uncovering keywords.](/keyword-research-tools)
- [Content Marketing ToolsEssential tools for content marketers.](/best-content-marketing-tools)
- [Link Building ToolsTop tools to boost your backlink profile.](/link-building-tools)
- [Rank Tracking ToolsThe best tools to monitor rankings.](/best-rank-tracking-tools)
- [Local SEO ToolsBest tools for local SEO strategies.](/local-seo-tools)
- [SEO Agency ToolsTop software solutions for SEO agencies.](/seo-software-agencies)
- [AI SEO ToolsTop SEO tools with AI capabilities.](/ai-seo-tools)
- [Sitemap Generator ToolsBest tools for creating XML sitemaps.](/sitemap-generator-tools)
- [Digital Marketing ToolsEffective tools for every budget.](/best-digital-marketing-tools)
- [ChatGPT AlternativesWe tested dozens to find the best of the best.](/chatgpt-alternatives)

- Tool Reviews

- [Semrush ReviewComprehensive analysis of Semrush’s tool suite.](/semrush-review)
- [Ahrefs ReviewIn-depth look at Ahrefs’ features and performance.](/ahrefs-review)
- [Ahrefs vs SemrushCompares Ahrefs and Semrush for SEO.](/ahrefs-vs-semrush)
- [Clearscope ReviewEvaluates Clearscope’s content optimization capabilities.](/clearscope-review)
- [Majestic SEO ReviewReviews Majestic’s backlink analysis tool.](/majestic-seo-review)
- [Surfer SEO ReviewAssesses Surfer SEO’s optimization features.](/surfer-seo)
- [Serpstat ReviewAnalyzes Serpstat’s SEO and PPC tools.](/serpstat-review)
- [SparkToro ReviewReviews SparkToro’s audience research capabilities.](/sparktoro-review)

- [Templates](/templates/marketing)
- [About](/about-backlinko)

[Newsletter Sign Up](/newsletter) [Try Semrush — Free Trial](https://www.semrush.com/signup/?custom=backlinko&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=navigation)

Backlinko readers get unlimited

access for 14 days. 55+ tools.

[User Experience Signals](/hub/seo/ux "User Experience Signals")

- [SEO Marketing Hub 2.0](/hub/seo "SEO Marketing Hub 2.0")
- [User Experience Signals](/hub/seo/ux "User Experience Signals")
- Core Web Vitals

Search Intent

SEO Tools and Software

# Core Web Vitals

![Brian Dean](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/ff8eab31fb6066670f6d0fe9d9f0166f?s=96&d=mm&r=g)

Written by [Brian Dean](/blog/authors/brian-dean)

Last updated Jun. 20, 2024

### What Are Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals are a set of three metrics that measure the speed, interactivity, and visual stability of a webpage.

They’re a subset of factors that are part of Google’s “page experience” ranking signals (basically, Google’s way of sizing up your page’s overall user experience, or UX).

And so improving them can help your website rank higher in search results and provide a better user experience.

**The three Core Web Vitals are:**

1. [**Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)**](#largest-contentful-paint): This measures how long it takes for the largest content element on your page to load. Your LCP should be less than 2.5 seconds in order to provide a good user experience.
2. [**Interaction to Next Paint (INP)**](#interaction-to-next-paint): This measures how quickly your website responds to user interactions. Your INP should be 200 milliseconds or less for a fast and responsive experience.
3. [**Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)**](#culmulative-layout-shift): This measures how much your page’s layout shifts unexpectedly as it loads. Your CLS should be less than 0.1 for a good user experience.

![Core Web Vitals](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/06/core-web-vitals.png)

You can find an overview of your site’s Core Web Vitals data in the “Experience” section of your [Google Search Console](https://backlinko.com/google-search-console "Google Search Console Guide") account.

![GSC – Core Web Vitals](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/06/gsc-core-web-vitals.png)

Clicking into one of the reports shows you more details about each Core Web Vital.

![Core Web Vitals report](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/06/core-web-vitals-report.png)

You can also check them using a tool like Google’s [PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev/ "PageSpeed Insights"). Or using [Semrush Site Audit](https://www.semrush.com/siteaudit/?utm_campaign=core-web-vitals&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral "Site Audit: Improve the SEO of Your Website | Semrush").

![Site Audit – Core Web Vitals](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/06/site-audit-core-web-vitals.png)

> **Note:** A free Semrush account lets you scan up to 100 URLs with Site Audit. To help find issues with your site’s Core Web Vitals and other aspects of your technical SEO. Or you can use this link to access a [14-day trial on a Semrush Pro subscription](https://www.semrush.com/lp/backlinko-offer/en/?utm_campaign=core-web-vitals&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral "Backlinko & Semrush: 14-day PRO Trial").

### Why Are Core Web Vitals Important?

How your website performs in Core Web Vitals can impact your [user experience](https://backlinko.com/core-web-vitals-study "We Analyzed 208K Webpages. Here's What We Learned About Core Web Vitals and UX") and your ranking potential. Because your website should provide a fast, smooth, and enjoyable experience for users.

And [Google aims](https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/page-experience "Understanding page experience in Google Search results") to reward content that provides users with this kind of great experience.

Google’s page experience ranking systems are made up of a collection of signals that Google considers important for user experience, including:

- HTTPS
- Mobile-friendliness
- Lack of interstitial pop ups
- “Safe-browsing” (basically, not having malware on your page)

And Core Web Vitals are an essential part of this.

It’s important to point out that great page experience won’t magically push you to the #1 spot in Google. In fact, in a post that discussed combining Core Web Vitals with other existing signals, Google was quick to point out that page experience isn’t the only thing that matters. Remember, they use hundreds of [ranking factors](https://backlinko.com/google-ranking-factors "Google’s 200 Ranking Factors: The Complete List (2024)") to rank sites in search.

![Good page experience](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/06/good-page-experience.png)

Below, I’m going to break down all three Core Web Vitals. And show you how to improve each of them.

#### Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

LCP measures how fast a webpage loads from the user’s perspective.

More specifically, it’s the time it takes for the largest element visible on the screen to finish loading. Like an image or text block.

![Semrush – Blog – LCP](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/06/semrush-blog-lcp.png)

You can check your LCP score using [PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev "PageSpeed Insights").

![PageSpeed Insights – LCP](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/06/pagespeed-insights-lcp.png)

Which is helpful. Especially when it comes to spotting areas to improve.

That said, I recommend looking at your LCP data in your Google Search Console property.

Why?

Well, like Google PageSpeed Insights, the data in Search Console comes from the Chrome User Experience Report.

But unlike PageSpeed Insights, **you can see LCP data on your entire site**. So instead of analyzing random pages one by one, you get a list of URLs that are good, bad… or somewhere in-between.

Speaking of, Google has specific [LCP guidelines](https://web.dev/lcp/ "Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) | Articles | web.dev"). They break LCP speed down into three buckets: Good, Needs Improvement, and Poor. (They use this terminology for all three Core Web Vitals, but categorize each one differently.)

![Google's largest contentful paint guidelines](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2020/07/googles-largest-contentful-paint-guidelines.png)

In short, you want every page on your site to load the LCP within 2.5 seconds.

This can be a real challenge for pages with lots of features or images above the fold. Especially if you have a high-res featured image at the top of the page.

> **Note:** Don’t just chase the numbers with Core Web Vitals. Prioritize content quality and user experience over one single score.

Here are some things you can do to improve your site’s LCP:

- **Remove any unnecessary third-party scripts:** [our pagespeed study](https://backlinko.com/page-speed-stats "We Analyzed 5.2 Million Webpages. Here's What We Learned About PageSpeed") found that each third-party script slowed a page down by 34 ms
- **Upgrade your web host:** Better hosting can lead to faster load times overall (including LCP)
- **Avoid lazy loading images above the fold:** Lazy loading [optimizes how images load](https://backlinko.com/image-seo "Image SEO: 15 Tips for Image Optimization"), but doing this above the fold can actually increase your LCP time
- **Remove large page elements:** Consider removing large, unnecessary images and other features from above the fold to speed up your LCP
- **Minify your CSS:** Bulky CSS [can significantly delay LCP times](https://web.dev/optimize-lcp/#render-blocking-resources "Optimize Largest Contentful Paint | Articles | web.dev")

#### Interaction to Next Paint (INP)

Next, let’s take a look at Google’s second Core Web Vital: Interaction to Next Paint.

INP measures the time it takes for the browser to respond to a user’s next interaction with a page, such as a click or a tap, after the page has finished loading.

This metric is similar to First Input Delay (FID), which INP replaced in 2024. But it focuses on the responsiveness of the page after it has initially loaded. Making it a more reliable way to understand a page’s overall responsiveness.

Examples of interactions include:

- Choosing an option from a menu
- Clicking a button to submit your email into a form
- Opening up a mobile navigation menu

And like LCP, Google has specific criteria for what constitutes an acceptable INP time.

![Google's Interaction to Next Paint Guidelines](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2024/06/googles-interaction-to-next-paint-guidelines.png)

You ideally want an INP time of 200 ms or less. Anything above that needs improvement, and anything beyond 500 ms is described as poor.

For a page that’s 100% content (like a blog post or news article), INP probably isn’t going to be a big deal. The only real “interaction” is scrolling down the page. Or pinching to zoom in and out. But these aren’t counted for the purpose of measuring INP.

Sure, your menus still have to be responsive. And if you have any sign-up buttons in there, you need to make sure they respond quickly too.

But for a login page, sign-up page, or other page where users need to quickly click on something (like adding a product to their cart), INP is HUGE.

For example, think about the loading experience for a page like this:

![Reddit login screen](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2020/07/reddit-login-screen.png)

With a login page like that, the time it takes for the content to load isn’t all that important (there isn’t all that much to load anyway).

What matters is how quickly you can start typing in your login details. And then how fast the “Sign In” button works.

With all of that in mind, here are some things you can do to improve your site’s INP score:

- **Minimize (or defer) JavaScript:** It’s almost impossible for users to interact with a page while the browser is loading up JS. So minimizing or deferring JS on your page is key for INP.
- **Remove any non-critical third-party scripts:** Just like with LCP, third-party scripts (like Google Analytics, heatmaps etc.) can negatively impact INP. If your INP time is too long, consider removing any non-essential scripts.
- **Defer code execution:** You can break down long tasks the browser needs to perform into smaller chunks. You might need your developer’s help with this.

#### Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures how stable a page is as it loads (aka “visual stability”).

In other words: if elements on your page move around as the page loads, then you’ve likely got a high CLS score. Which is bad.

![Cumulative layout shift example](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2020/07/cumulative-layout-shift-example.png)

Instead, you want your page elements to be fairly stable as the page loads.

Why?

Imagine a user lands on your store page. They see a button to learn more about a specific product. As they go to click that button a banner appears at the top of the screen, shifting everything down. So they accidentally click the “buy now” button instead.

That’s a bad user experience.

Here are the specific criteria Google has in place for CLS:

![Google's cumulative layout shift guidelines](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2020/07/googles-cumulative-layout-shift-guidelines.png)

You want a CLS score of 0.1 or less. Between 0.1 and 0.25 needs improvement, and anything above this is deemed poor.

As you can see, this is something that I need to work on. Especially on mobile.

![Exploding Topic – Core web vitals](https://api.backlinko.com/app/uploads/2020/07/explodingtopic-core-web-vitals-1.png)

Here are some simple things you can do to minimize CLS.

- **Use set size attribute dimensions for any media (like videos and images):** That way, the user’s browser knows exactly how much space that element will take up on that page. And won’t change it on the fly as the page fully loads.
- **Make sure ad elements have a reserved space:** Otherwise they can suddenly appear on the page. Pushing content down, up, or to the side.
- **Avoid dynamically adding new content above the fold:** Inserting banners at the top of the page, for example, can shift everything down when they load. Instead, consider adding elements like these below the fold.

Learn More About Core Web Vitals

[User Behavior and SEO:](https://backlinko.com/user-behavior-and-seo "User Behavior and SEO: A Deep Dive") Learn more about how users interact with websites and how that can impact your approach to SEO. And get a deeper understanding of the relationship between site structure, page speed, and overall user experience.

[Complete Guide to Page Speed and SEO:](https://backlinko.com/hub/seo/pagespeed "Page Speed and SEO: The Complete Guide") Go one step further and focus on how your site’s loading speed in particular can affect your SEO. And learn ways to improve it, provide a better user experience, and potentially rank higher too.

[Semrush Site Audit:](https://www.semrush.com/siteaudit/ "Site Audit: Improve the SEO of Your Website | Semrush") Find issues with your site’s Core Web Vitals and get insights into how you can improve your scores. Audit 100 URLs with a free account, or get a [14-day free trial of a Pro subscription](https://www.semrush.com/lp/backlinko-offer/en/?utm_campaign=core-web-vitals&utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral "Backlinko & Semrush: 14-day PRO Trial").

6 Resources

- [Dwell Time](/hub/seo/dwell-time)
- [Bounce Rate](/hub/seo/bounce-rate)
- [Pogo Sticking](/hub/seo/pogosticking)
- [Organic CTR](/hub/seo/organic-ctr)
- [Search Intent](/hub/seo/search-intent)
- [Core Web Vitals](/hub/seo/core-web-vitals)

Free Tools

- [Keyword Research Tool](/tools/keyword)
- [Rank Checker](/tools/rank-checker)
- [Website Authority Checker](/tools/website-authority)
- [Backlink Checker](/tools/backlink-checker)
- [Keyword Generator Tool](https://backlinko.com/tools/keyword-generator)
- [Website Traffic Checker](https://backlinko.com/tools/website-traffic-checker)

[Next SEO Tools and Software](/hub/seo/software) [Previous Search Intent](/hub/seo/search-intent) [Next SEO Tools and Software](/hub/seo/software)

More Topics

[All Topics](/hub/seo "All Topics")

[5 ResourcesLink Building for SEO](/hub/seo/link-building-seo)

[5 ResourcesSEO Tools and Software](/hub/seo/software)

[7 ResourcesAdvanced SEO Strategies](/hub/seo/advanced)

[8 ResourcesSEO Fundamentals](/hub/seo/fundamentals)

[4 ResourcesKeyword Research Strategies](/hub/seo/keyword-research-strategies)

[8 ResourcesContent Optimization Strategies](/hub/seo/optimizing-content)

[6 ResourcesTechnical SEO](/hub/seo/technical)

[5 ResourcesLink Building for SEO](/hub/seo/link-building-seo)

[5 ResourcesSEO Tools and Software](/hub/seo/software)

[7 ResourcesAdvanced SEO Strategies](/hub/seo/advanced)

[8 ResourcesSEO Fundamentals](/hub/seo/fundamentals)

[4 ResourcesKeyword Research Strategies](/hub/seo/keyword-research-strategies)

[8 ResourcesContent Optimization Strategies](/hub/seo/optimizing-content)

[6 ResourcesTechnical SEO](/hub/seo/technical)

[5 ResourcesLink Building for SEO](/hub/seo/link-building-seo)

[5 ResourcesSEO Tools and Software](/hub/seo/software)

[7 ResourcesAdvanced SEO Strategies](/hub/seo/advanced)

[Backlinko](/ "Backlinko")

Next-level SEO training and link building strategies

#### Learn

- [Blog](/blog)
- [Newsletter](/newsletter)
- [Semrush Offer](https://backlinko.com/deals/semrush-coupon)

#### Company

- [Home](/)
- [About](/about-backlinko)
- [Contact](/contact)

#### Connect

- [Twitter](https://twitter.com/backlinko "Twitter")
- [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx7J37QuXsGL7QG6SMIpqKg "YouTube")
- [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/briandean/ "Instagram")

- [Terms of Service](https://www.semrush.com/company/legal/terms-of-service/?utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral)
- [Privacy Notice](https://www.semrush.com/company/legal/privacy-policy/?utm_source=backlinko.com&utm_medium=referral)

© 2024 Backlinko is a Trademark of Semrush Inc