Since Google incorporated the Core Web Vitals as part of the ranking system in
2021, these metrics are no longer a simple best practice recommendation and
became part of the Page Experience signal. While they are not a substitute for quality
content or link authority, they can be the differentiating factor in SERPs
where multiple sites are competing head to head for the same search intent.
What are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals measure the actual user experience in key aspects such as
loading, interactivity and visual stability. They are divided into three main metrics:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): measures the time it takes to load the main visible content
. Target: <2.5 s. - Interaction to Next Paint (INP): replaces the old FID and measures the latency
in user interaction. Target: <200 ms. - Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): evaluates visual stability and whether elements move during loading. Target: <0.1.
These metrics are complemented by other experience factors such as
mobile compatibility, HTTPS and the absence of intrusive interstitials.
How do they really influence positioning?
According to the most recent studies, the weight of CWVs as an SEO factor is moderate
but strategic. They will rarely cause a page with no relevance to outperform a page with
strong content, but they can tip the balance in highly competitive searches
(SaaS, ecommerce, finance) where all sites offer similar content.
In addition, improving these metrics has indirect benefits: bounce reduction,
increased time on page and better conversions, which strengthens the overall SEO performance
.
Where to start optimizing? WPO
WPO(Web Performance Optimization) is the set of techniques aimed at improving
the performance and loading speed of a website. It goes far beyond reducing the
weight of images: it involves optimizing the code architecture, minimizing
requests to the server, applying caching strategies, loading scripts asynchronously
and prioritizing critical resources so that the user perceives a fast and stable loading
. The purpose of WPO is not only technical: a website that responds
in less than 2 seconds reduces bounce rate, improves user experience and increases conversion. Google knows this, and that is why performance metrics are part of its
ranking signals.
In environments such as WordPress, WPO takes on a particular complexity due to the modular nature of the CMS
: each plugin and theme can add scripts, stylesheets or
unnecessary database queries. That’s why optimizing a WordPress site implies
reviewing the entire stack: from the hosting (is there LiteSpeed?, is a CDN used?) to the
number of active plugins, their conditional loading, the correct use of the lazy load or the
efficiency of the generated HTML code. Applying WPO not only improves the Core Web
Vitals, but also allows scaling traffic without compromising stability or UX. It is, in
definitive, a structural investment for the visibility and competitiveness of the site.
Best practices for optimizing Core Web Vitals in WordPress
- I chose a light and well-built theme
Avoiding heavy builders is the first step. Astra or Avada are excellent alternatives
for projects that prioritize speed. - Implement an effective caching system
Plugins like LiteSpeed Cache (if your hosting supports it), WP Rocket or FlyingPress
offer tools to optimize LCP, INP and CLS from a single interface. - Minimizing the use of unnecessary plugins
Each plugin adds load. Regularly review the active ones and deactivate the ones that do not add
direct value. - Image optimization
Use modern formats like WebP and load images with lazy loading. Plugins
like ShortPixel or Imagify automate this task. - Control the loading of fonts and scripts
Reduce the use of external fonts, use font-display: swap and load only the necessary weights
. You can also delay the loading of non-critical scripts with plugins such as
Perfmatters. - Adequate hosting and CDN
Hosting remains the bottleneck for many WordPress sites. Using a
provider optimized for WordPress and activating a CDN such as Cloudflare or
BunnyCDN can drastically reduce load times.
How far to optimize?
Once your metrics are in the “good” (green) range, continuing to invest
time or resources in improving additional tenths usually has diminishing returns
. At that point, the focus should return to content, search intent
and linkbuilding
Core Web Vitals are not a substitute for the content and value your site offers. But if
you want to compete in sectors where technical quality makes the difference -and
especially if you work in WordPress-, reaching them and keeping them in good condition is
mandatory.
At Codemized we understand that performance is not a luxury: it is an integral part of a
sustainable SEO strategy. If you still don’t know the status of your metrics, the first thing
you need is a good SEO audit to determine a plan of action and then
to correct. In any case, we are here to help you.
