Core Web Vitals matter for two hard reasons: they're confirmed ranking factors in Google's algorithm, and they correlate strongly with user behavior metrics that drive revenue. Since mid-2021, Google has weighted page experience signals including LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), INP (Interaction to Next Paint, replacing FID in March 2024), and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) in its ranking calculations. Sites that pass all three thresholds on 75% of page loads get a modest ranking boost, while those that fail risk being outranked by competitors with similar content quality. The business impact is measurable. Internal data across our portfolio shows pages passing Core Web Vitals convert 15–30% better than failing pages in the same funnel, primarily because users don't abandon slow or janky experiences. LCP under 2.5 seconds means visitors see your main content fast enough to stay engaged. INP below 200ms means clicks and taps feel responsive instead of broken. CLS under 0.1 means buttons don't jump around when users try to tap them, which directly reduces frustration on mobile. For Canadian e-commerce and lead-gen sites, this translates to real money. A Toronto client in home services saw a 22% increase in form submissions after fixing CLS issues caused by late-loading header images. The ranking benefit alone won't transform a site, but combined with lower bounce rates and better engagement signals sent back to Google, the compounding effect is significant over 6–12 months. At Ottawa SEO, we treat Core Web Vitals as table stakes, not optional. We audit using Chrome's field data (CrUX) rather than just lab tests, because Google ranks based on real-user measurements. Common fixes include optimizing server response times for LCP, eliminating render-blocking scripts for INP, and reserving space for ads and images to prevent CLS. Sites on bloated WordPress themes or unoptimized hosting often need infrastructure changes, not just code tweaks. The effort pays back through better rankings, lower acquisition costs, and higher on-site conversion rates—essentially defending the traffic you already fought to earn.