Performance & Speed
Did you know that Google evaluates how user-friendly your site is? Moreover, if the search engine decides that it’s inconvenient, it will be difficult to promote your site to the top and get organic traffic. In this article, we’ll analyze the parameters by which Google evaluates a site, and what to do if they decrease. For hands-on help, explore our WordPress optimization services.
Core Web Vitals WordPress Indicators: Determining the Main Parameters
Core Web Vitals is the group of performance metrics Google uses to assess usability:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
- Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
LCP shows how quickly the main content appears. INP captures overall interaction latency across the page, not just the first input. CLS measures visual stability (layout shifts) and is unitless.Recommended thresholds (good): LCP ≤ 2.5 s, INP ≤ 200 ms, CLS ≤ 0.1 (evaluated at the 75th percentile of real-user data). If your audience is largely mobile, consider a phones-first tune-up with our mobile optimization for WordPress websites.
Let’s analyze typical LCP problems
To rank well, aim for LCP ≤ 2.5 seconds. Common causes of poor LCP include:
- unoptimized images
- code and render-blocking CSS/JS
- slow server render / high TTFB
Quick wins for WordPress: use WebP/AVIF and responsive images with <picture> + srcset/sizes, preload the hero image (or fetchpriority=”high”), preconnect to image/font/CDN origins, extract critical CSS, and lower TTFB (PHP 8.2/8.3 + OPcache, DB/index tuning, CDN, HTTP/3 + Brotli). When you need a targeted score push, see our Google PageSpeed optimization process.
INP: Why it is important and how to improve it
INP measures overall responsiveness. Aim for ≤ 200 ms. High values increase the chance users abandon the page due to delays.
Common reasons for poor INP:
- long main-thread tasks and heavy JavaScript
- unoptimized interaction handlers (e.g., expensive listeners on scroll/input)
- third-party scripts loading too early
How to improve INP on WordPress: split bundles, defer/async non-critical JS, delay analytics/marketing until after first interaction, remove unused plugins/widgets, minimize third-party tags, break up long tasks, and consider moving work to Web Workers where possible.
CLS: How to minimize unexpected layout shifts
Notice that content “jumps” on the page? Likely CLS > 0.1. Why can this be high?
- markup changes from asynchronous fonts
- dynamic ads/embeds injecting above content
- images/videos without intrinsic sizes
Fixes: set width/height or CSS aspect-ratio for media, preload fonts with crossorigin and use font-display: swap, reserve slots for ads/embeds, and keep UI consistent to hold CLS ≤ 0.1.
SEO and ranking: About the main impact of these indicators
Google officially included Core Web Vitals among ranking factors in its Page Experience Update. If scores don’t meet recommendations, expect:
- decline in visibility in SERPs
- decrease in conversion rate
- decrease in page view depth
Keep these indicators in the green via regular audits—this supports SEO and user trust. For a look at outcomes, browse a related WordPress PageSpeed optimization for an event website.
Checking the indicators of your WordPress site
Ways to assess Core Web Vitals on WordPress:
- Google PageSpeed Insights / Lighthouse — lab diagnostics with suggestions to improve CWV.
- Google Search Console → Core Web Vitals — field data (CrUX) from real users, aggregated over the last 28 days at the 75th percentile.
- GTmetrix — request waterfalls to reveal heavy resources and third-party impact.
- Core Web Vitals plugins — automate checks inside WordPress.
You can also see how a complex setup was tuned in our efficient WordPress Multisite optimization for a mobile app developer case study.
About LCP optimization on WordPress
To optimize LCP, development knowledge helps. Our team typically:
- optimizes images (convert to WebP/AVIF, responsive <picture> with srcset/sizes) and lazy-loads below-the-fold media
- preloads the hero image or sets fetchpriority=”high”
- reduces TTFB with PHP 8.2/8.3 + OPcache, DB/index tuning, and efficient hosting
- implements CDN, HTTP/3, and Brotli/gzip for HTML/CSS/JS
- extracts critical CSS and defers non-critical CSS/JS
INP improvements on your site
To improve interaction responsiveness we work with the code and loading strategy:
- minify and defer/async JavaScript, and split large bundles
- postpone analytics/marketing until after first interaction
- reduce long tasks on the main thread; remove unused plugins/widgets
- cache data and use efficient event handlers; consider Web Workers for heavy work
Caching plugins are configured carefully, and we may add object caching (e.g., Redis) to reduce server work where appropriate.
How we fix CLS problems on the WP web
To improve CLS, the WPWP.BZ team ensures correct font loading, reserves fixed sizes for banners, videos, and other visuals, stabilizes advertising slots, and prefers Flex/Grid with predictable sizing. We also preload critical fonts and use font-display: swap to avoid layout jumps.
How to maintain Core Web Vitals performance?
To keep your site Google-friendly, maintenance matters:
- monitor performance regularly with the tools above
- test key metrics using PageSpeed Insights, WebPageTest, or GTmetrix
- avoid heavy page builders or excessive functionality
- keep plugins, themes, and WordPress core updated; review third-party tags periodically
Conclusion: Why are core web metrics important for WordPress?
Positive UX correlates with commercial performance: more time on site and lower bounce rate. Core Web Vitals are not just technical goals, they directly affect organic traffic and competitiveness. Regular performance optimization (images, critical CSS, defer/async JS, CDN/HTTP3/Brotli, lower TTFB) is a strategic investment in stability, security, and scalability. If your site needs Core Web Vitals optimization, our web development team can help you improve it!
