When your website's Core Web Vitals (CWV) are not in good condition or underperforming, it can have a significant impact on various aspects of your site especially the site’s performance, user experience, and SEO.
Having poor Core Web Vitals (CWV) means your website's performance is falling short of Google's recommended thresholds for a good user experience. CWV measures the loading speed, interactivity, and visual stability of your site, and poor scores in any of these areas can negatively affect your site's usability and SEO.
Common signs of poor CWV include:
- Slow page load times (Large Contentful Paint, LCP)
- Delayed interactivity (First Input Delay, FID)
- Unstable layouts (Cumulative Layout Shift, CLS)
Since CWV metrics are directly linked to how users perceive your site’s performance, failing to meet the optimal thresholds can lead to a range of negative effects.
Let’s explore the potential consequences of poor CWV performance:
1. Decline in Search Engine Rankings
Google has integrated Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor in its search algorithm. Poor CWV scores can negatively affect your rankings in the search engine results pages (SERPs), especially for competitive keywords. Pages with slow load times, high interactivity delays, or visual instability may be ranked lower than those with better CWV performance.
From SEO perspectives, Google prioritizes websites that provide a good user experience, and CWV is a crucial part of that experience. If your pages are flagged as having poor CWV, they may not rank as highly as those from competitors who have optimized their CWV.
2. Higher Bounce Rates
A website with poor CWV can lead to frustrated visitors, causing them to leave (bounce) before engaging with your content. For example, a high LCP (slow loading of the page’s main content), a high FID (delay in interaction), or layout shifts (high CLS) can all create a poor first impression, especially on mobile devices.
If visitors can’t interact with your page quickly or if they experience visual shifts during loading, they are more likely to abandon your site. Studies show that users expect a page to load within 2–3 seconds, and a poor experience can lead to higher bounce rates and lower engagement.
3. Decreased Conversion Rates
Websites that fail to meet good CWV thresholds often suffer from reduced conversion rates, whether that’s completing a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or filling out a contact form. This is because slow page loads and poor interactivity discourage users from completing these actions.
For e-commerce sites, a slow-loading page or delay in interaction (due to high FID) can directly impact sales. For example, users might abandon their shopping cart if the checkout page is slow to load, or they might give up trying to interact with the site altogether if buttons or forms aren’t responsive. This could lead to loss of revenue and potential customers.
Learn more: How to Improve Your Conversion Rate (CVR) Ethically
4. Negative Impact on Mobile Users
The mobile experience is increasingly important, as more people access websites on their smartphones. Google’s Page Experience Update puts a particular emphasis on mobile performance. Poor CWV can be especially damaging on mobile devices, where networks may be slower, and screen sizes are smaller.
On mobile devices, issues like high LCP and CLS are even more frustrating due to smaller screens and slower mobile network speeds. If mobile users experience delays in loading content or visual shifts, it increases the likelihood of them leaving the site altogether.
5. Lower User Satisfaction
Poor Core Web Vitals directly translate to a negative user experience. If users are waiting too long for content to load (high LCP), struggling with unresponsive pages (high FID), or experiencing annoying layout shifts (high CLS), they are likely to feel frustrated with your website.
A slow, unresponsive, or visually unstable website can tarnish the perception of your brand. In today’s competitive market, providing a smooth and fast experience is crucial to fostering trust and loyalty among users. If your website provide a poor user experience, you are risking your site getting bad brand perception for current users and potential users. Potentially this could lead to a bigger loss in the long run.
6. Increased Costs in Advertising
If you are running paid advertising campaigns, poor Core Web Vitals can result in inefficient ad spend. Ads that direct users to pages with bad CWV metrics might not convert as well, which could lead to a wasted ad budget. This is particularly true for pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns like Google Ads, where the cost-per-click can be high.
When users click on your ad and find a slow, unresponsive, or unstable page, they are less likely to convert. As a result, your advertising spend doesn’t deliver the expected results, lowering the return on investment (ROI).
7. Inability to Capitalize on Google’s Page Experience Ranking Factors
While Core Web Vitals are only one part of Google’s overall ranking algorithm, they are a growing influence. Not optimizing your site for CWV means missing out on potential ranking benefits. Google has signaled that CWV will continue to play a significant role in determining rankings, especially for competitive queries. If your competitors have better CWV, they could outperform you, even if your content is otherwise superior.
8. Decreased Engagement Metrics
When a website experiences performance issues, users are less likely to engage with its content. High LCP (slow loading) or high CLS (layout shifts) can discourage users from interacting with the site, leading to fewer page views, shares, or comments.
A poorly performing website drives down engagement metrics such as time on site, pages per session, and scroll depth. These signals may also affect how Google perceives your site’s value.
Conclusion
If your Core Web Vitals are not in good condition, it can have a wide range of negative effects on your website, from lower search rankings and increased bounce rates to reduced conversions and user satisfaction. The key to maintaining a good CWV score is regular monitoring and ongoing optimization.
By addressing these issues, you can improve your website’s performance and ensure a better user experience, ultimately protecting your SEO, user engagement, and revenue.
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