Core Web Vitals: 10 Key Fixes for Blazing SEO Success

Bright SEO Tools in SEO Jul 04 / 9 hours ago

When it comes to ranking high on Google, Core Web Vitals are no longer optional—they're essential. Introduced by Google as part of its page experience update, these vitals measure real-world user experience, including how fast your site loads, how quickly it becomes interactive, and how visually stable it is.

If your site flunks these tests, it could be hurting your search engine rankings and driving users away. But don’t worry—we’ve got you covered.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through 10 key fixes that will help you master Core Web Vitals, enhance UX, and turbocharge your SEO performance.

📌 What Are Core Web Vitals?

Google tracks three main metrics:

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – Loading speed

First Input Delay (FID) – Interactivity

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – Visual stability

In 2024, Interaction to Next Paint (INP) is replacing FID as the go-to interactivity metric.

✅ 10 Key Fixes to Improve Core Web Vitals

1. Optimize Images and Videos for Faster LCP

Large images and videos are often the main content that causes LCP issues.

Fix it:

Compress images using tools like TinyPNG

Serve images in WebP or AVIF

Use responsive sizes

Implement lazy loading

2. Use a Fast, Reliable Hosting Provider

Slow servers delay the time to first byte (TTFB), directly impacting LCP.

Fix it:

Choose performance-optimized hosts like Cloudways, Kinsta, or WP Engine

Opt for dedicated or cloud hosting over shared hosting

3. Minimize and Defer JavaScript

Excessive or unoptimized JavaScript can delay interactivity, affecting FID and INP.

Fix it:

Minify JavaScript files

Defer non-critical JS with defer or async

Remove unused JavaScript using tools like Chrome DevTools

4. Implement Critical CSS and Minify Stylesheets

CSS can block rendering. If it's bloated, your page won’t load quickly.

Fix it:

Extract and inline critical CSS

Minify and combine stylesheets

Load non-critical CSS asynchronously

5. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A CDN reduces the distance between your server and users, boosting speed and reducing LCP.

Fix it:

Implement CDNs like Cloudflare, Bunny.net, or StackPath

6. Fix Layout Shifts (CLS) with Proper Sizing**

Unexpected shifts frustrate users and lower your CLS score.

Fix it:

Always define height/width for images and videos

Avoid dynamic content insertion above-the-fold

Use font-display: swap to avoid flash of invisible text

7. Preload Important Resources

Preloading tells the browser to fetch high-priority content first, reducing LCP.

Fix it:

html

CopyEdit

Also preload fonts and key stylesheets

8. Reduce Third-Party Scripts

Ads, analytics tools, and widgets slow down your site and affect all three Core Web Vitals.

Fix it:

Audit third-party scripts with tools like Lighthouse

Remove unnecessary ones

Load them asynchronously or after user interaction

9. Improve Server Response Time (TTFB)

A slow backend = slow site.

Fix it:

Optimize your database queries

Use caching (object, full-page, browser)

Update to PHP 8.2+ or use LiteSpeed servers

10. Monitor and Test Regularly

Fixing once isn’t enough—you need to monitor consistently.

Fix it:

Use Google Search Console → Core Web Vitals report

Test with PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, WebPageTest, and GTmetrix

Consider performance monitoring tools like Calibre, SpeedCurve, or Raygun

🚨 Bonus: Tools to Help You Fix Core Web Vitals

Google PageSpeed Insights

Web Vitals Chrome Extension

GTmetrix

Web.dev

Final Thoughts

Google has made it clear: better performance = better rankings.

By implementing these 10 key fixes, you’ll not only improve your Core Web Vitals but also provide users with a smoother, faster, and more enjoyable experience. That’s good for SEO—and great for business.

💡 “Fast websites don’t just rank higher. They convert better.”