Core Web Vitals (CWV) are Google's standardized metrics for measuring real-world user experience on web pages. They became a ranking signal in 2021 and remain part of Google's page experience signals.

The Three Metrics

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): how quickly the largest visible element loads. Target: under 2.5 seconds. Interaction to Next Paint (INP): how quickly the page responds to user interactions (clicks, taps, key presses). Target: under 200 milliseconds. INP replaced First Input Delay (FID) in 2024. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): how much the page layout shifts during loading. Target: under 0.1.

Why They Matter for SEO

CWV are a tiebreaker ranking factor — all else equal, the faster, more stable page ranks higher. They also directly affect user behavior: slow-loading pages have higher bounce rates, lower engagement, and fewer conversions.

Measurement

Google Search Console's Core Web Vitals report, PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, and Chrome UX Report provide CWV data. Field data (real user measurements) is more important than lab data (simulated tests) because Google uses field data for ranking.

Communications Relevance

Corporate newsrooms, brand content hubs, and campaign landing pages must meet CWV thresholds. A press release landing page that takes 5 seconds to load loses both search rankings and journalist attention.