Three Google performance metrics — LCP (load speed), INP (interactivity), and CLS (visual stability) — that affect your search rankings.
Core Web Vitals are three field metrics Google measures from real Chrome users visiting your site. They've been a confirmed ranking signal since 2021, and Google replaced FID with INP (Interaction to Next Paint) in March 2024.
**LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)** — should be under 2.5 seconds. This measures how fast the biggest visible element on your page (usually a hero image or headline) finishes rendering. Common fixes: serve hero images as WebP/AVIF at the right size, preload the LCP image, eliminate render-blocking JavaScript above the fold, and use a CDN.
**INP (Interaction to Next Paint)** — should be under 200 milliseconds. This measures how quickly your page responds when a user clicks, taps, or types. Common fixes: split large JavaScript bundles, defer non-critical scripts, remove third-party scripts you don't actually need (analytics, chat widgets, A/B testing tools are the usual culprits), and avoid heavy work in event handlers.
**CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)** — should be under 0.1. This measures unexpected visual jumps as the page loads. Common fixes: set explicit width and height on all images and embeds, reserve space for ads and dynamic content, and avoid injecting content above existing content.
How to measure: PageSpeed Insights for a single-URL audit, Search Console > Core Web Vitals for site-wide field data, and CrUX dashboard for historical trends. Field data (real users) is what Google uses for ranking — lab data is for debugging.
- **How much does a small business website cost in 2026?** — $1,500–$15,000 for most small businesses, depending on whether you go DIY, freelancer, or agency. - **Should I use WordPress, Webflow, or Shopify for my business website?** — Shopify if you sell products. Webflow if design matters most and you want a working CMS. WordPress if you need maximum flexibility or already have a team that knows it. - **How fast should my website load?** — Under 2.5 seconds for the main content (LCP) on mobile 4G. Anything slower and you lose roughly 7% of conversions for every additional second. - **Do I need a custom website or is a template fine?** — A template is fine if your business looks like 1,000 others in your category. Custom is worth it when design itself is part of how you sell.