All you need to know about Core Web Vitals and SEO Rankings

It is important to keep up to date with any Google updates when working in an SEO agency. Google has recently announced some updates, and as usual, these updates are to its free systems, with inclusions of elements such as Core Web Vitals. We have also seen a fore warning that Google will be rolling UX ranking factors into its algorithm during 2021.

The timing of these changes and announcements, however, are not coincidental. The tools on offer, should be used to identify any areas of improvement on a website. Then, by using this, you will be able to build a strong foundation for users (and a business). By doing so, you can more importantly, achieve what each is correspondingly set out to do online.

Is this the end of Page Speed Insights?

Core Web Vitals sit within Google Search console, more specifically an account. This runs systematically and is used to identify key areas of technical performance for a site, across all pages.

The three main metrics within this are:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
• First Input Delay (FID)
• Cumulative Shift Layout (CSL)

For those of you who have previously used Pagespeed Insights, the data may seem similar. Essential Core Web Vitals is merging certain points, to understanding the data far clearer in GSC. This is as opposed to eradicating Page Speed Insights (or Lighthouse Tests) completely.

Regarding auditing and understanding the technical performance of a site, this will provide an opportunity for a top-level health check. Further data audited is also used to determine where common areas are seen.

Whether this signals the ‘beginning of the end’ of Page Speed Insights, this remains to be seen. But this does also signal, the start of the tool evolving beyond a ‘quick test’ and trace type approach into the code. Therefore, towards how the code, animations, fonts, rendering and caching impact how a user both searches and clicks (ultimately, interacts). As mentioned above, this fits well into the fact Google are going to be rolling out a new algorithm change in 2021.

What does this mean for a website?

The upcoming update (from a strategic and website perspective) should be considered when moving forward with any site changes in the coming month, that were scheduled. But, more than this should form the core part to any SEO strategy being outlined for 2021.

The reasons being:

• Improve the performance of the site at a business level: knowledge around how to improve websites from a business perspective, should be at the core of all SEO agency work. Ultimately, UX will sit precisely within an SEO campaign. This will switch between three pillars of success to four — Onsite, Offsite, Technical, UX. For the most part, recommendations from an agency will cover UX points. But, the development of core web vitals indicates that separate small-campaigns, or time on the account should be spent specifically understanding website. Additionally, taking into account user behaviour and the impact it has on search rankings, not just conversion points.
• View pain points for users based on different elements of crawl data: The above points follow onto this — why are users not making a purchase? Is it a layout issue or a technical problem? Are you targeting the right keywords? Is your product fit for purpose? All these queries arise during any SEO campaign — the difference being, how are the answers going to impact my rankings, and ultimately ROI of SEO projects.
• Structure technical SEO campaigns alongside website development changes: Now more so than ever before, it is crucial that SEO agencies and web developments sit alongside each other, working for a common goal. This common goal being, removing 404 dead ends, redirect errors, speed issues and so on. Furthermore, there is a need for a UX audit, and updates to pages to be accounted for within the strategy. Systematic changes and edits that are made and tested, in line with other marketing goals and channels is also a part of this.

Summary

With the launch of core web vitals, alongside this update and unexpected major shift online due to Covid-29 — SEO will have a larger role to play in all elements of business performance in 2021. Core web vitals, could in fact, be the key to that.

BIO: Polaris is an award-winning SEO agency in London, specialising in e-commerce, B2B, and the healthcare industry. Find out more about our services and how we can help you here.