[Pos baru] First Steps to Prepare Your Website for Core Web Vitals Success

Pos : First Steps to Prepare Your Website for Core Web Vitals Success
URL : http://wordpress.com/2021/10/20/first-steps-prepare-for-core-web-vitals-success/
Ditulis : 20 Oktober 2021 pukul 1:01 pm
Penulis : The WordPress.com Team
Tag : Core Web Vitals
Kategori : Tips

When Google introduced the Core Web Vitals project ( https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/9205520?hl=en ) (CWV), it was clear that the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) ( https://wordpress.com/go/digital-marketing/local-seo-how-to-get-to-the-top-of-local-search-rankings/ ) game had changed. Your website now has an advanced set of metrics with the potential to boost your rankings. Knowing the best ways to meet these standards can be crucial to your site's success. 

Fortunately, a little bit of knowledge can go a long way. By understanding how the Core Web Vitals operate, you can take concrete steps to leverage their influence on your website. 

In this article, we'll introduce you to the Core Web Vitals project and show you how to measure your current score. Then, we'll walk you through four different ways to prep your site for better scores. 

We'll focus on the fine details of optimizing for specific Core Web Vitals issues in a future post, so look for that soon. For now, let's apply the foundation needed so you can hopefully avoid any CWV issues at all.  

An Introduction to the Core Web Vitals Project

In May of 2020, Google established its Core Web Vitals project. It uses a combination of real-world and laboratory data to measure a website's overall user experience ( https://wordpress.com/go/solve/give-your-visitors-a-good-user-experience/ ) . Google then incorporates these results into its search engine ranking decisions.

Therefore, these metrics are closely tied to your website's search visibility. Because of this link, ignoring your scores isn't wise if you're trying to reach as many people as possible. 

Google uses awkward names for many of the individual CWV tests, such as Largest Contentful Paint and Cumulative Layout Shift. In a future article, we'll discuss each of those specific tests and how to ace them, but for now, you don't need to worry about the specifics. Many of the CWV calculations are based on loading times, which you and your users probably already notice.

For example, a website's initial loading speeds play a big part in Core Web Vitals rankings. This fact probably isn't surprising considering that a load time increase from one to three seconds causes a 32 percent increase in bounce rates ( https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-resources/data-measurement/mobile-page-speed-new-industry-benchmarks/ ) . If new users wait too long for your content, your Core Web Vitals will also likely suffer. 

However, it's not just about a visitor's first contact. Improving your page loading speeds ( https://wordpress.com/go/tips-and-tricks/six-no-code-tips-that-anyone-can-use-to-speed-up-wordpress/ ) across your entire site is essential to providing a consistently pleasant experience. 

Overall, improving your site's Core Web Vitals score is a simple and effective way to enhance the practical user experience, too. Using its data, you can devise a strategy to optimize your website. 

How to Measure Your Core Web Vitals (2 Methods)

Taking regular Core Web Vitals measurements can help guide your improvement path. It's also an intelligent way to track your site's performance ( https://wordpress.com/go/digital-marketing/website-kpis-are-key-for-superior-site-performance/ ) over time. As such, let's look at a couple of ways to check your Core Web Vitals score before we dive into optimization strategies.

1. Use Search Console's ( https://search.google.com/search-console/about ) Core Web Vitals Report

Let's start with Google's very own tool: the Google Search Console ( https://search.google.com/search-console/about ) . Search Console is a dedicated analytics tool with detailed feedback. It explains your site's position in Google's rankings:

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/google-search-console.png If you haven't set up Search Console ( https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/34592?hl=en ) yet, we believe it's well worth your time. That's because it provides tailored feedback to get your content found on Google ( https://wordpress.com/go/tutorials/tips-for-how-to-be-found-on-google-search/ ) . For now, though, we'll just be focusing on its dedicated section for analyzing Core Web Vitals. 

Once you've fully set up your account, head over to the Search Console's dashboard. Then, from the left-hand menu, navigate to Experience > Core Web Vitals. You'll then see a collection of site-specific feedback.

However, if your website is relatively new – maybe you've just started a blog ( https://wordpress.com/create-blog/ ) – you're probably looking at a blank screen like this instead: 

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/google-search-console-blank-results.png Don't worry! This is pretty normal. Google needs 90 days of usage data, so it may take some time to gather your results. If you can't access Search Console's information, you can try the second method instead. 

2. Use PageSpeed Insights ( https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/ )

PageSpeed Insights ( https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/ ) is another Google-created tool. There's no need to link your website like with Search Console, so it's a pretty quick solution. There are also blurbs explaining your results, making it a helpful tool for getting started with Core Web Vitals analysis.

First, you'll want to head to the PageSpeed Insights dashboard. Enter your site's URL in the provided box, then click on Analyze. You'll then get a comprehensive report of your score. 

You can consider our test run for Google as an example:

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/sample-pagespeed-insights-results.png From here, you'll see two main sections: your field data and your lab data. Both elements are essential to your overall score – they just use different sources of information.

Near the top, you can also toggle between the quality of desktop and mobile pages ( https://wordpress.com/go/web-design/creating-mobile-responsive-websites-why-its-important-and-how-to-do-it/ ) . These are calculated based on slightly different factors, so we highly recommend that you investigate both results.

You'll get a basic pass/fail score for most metrics. However, if you're looking for more detailed information, you can also scroll down to the Opportunities section at the bottom of the page. There you'll find a few of Google's suggestions for boosting your Core Web Vitals score: 

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/pagespeed-insights-improvement-opportunities.png If you're having a hard time understanding some of these opportunities, you're not alone. Fortunately, you don't need to be familiar with too many technical terms to optimize your site. We've got a few simple ways to take care of these issues and boost your Core Web Vitals score across the board. 

How to Prep Your Website for Core Web Vitals (4 Ways)

Here are four effective strategies that create a strong website foundation to enable passing CWV scores.

1. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) ( https://wordpress.com/go/website-building/what-is-a-cdn-and-does-your-site-need-one/ ) is a collection of servers located in different geographical locations. When your users visit your website, a CDN will automatically retrieve the information from the server closest to them. With less physical distance to travel, your content will be available faster to your readers.

If you're hosted by WordPress.com, we have good news: your website is already using Jetpack's CDN. However, you can also easily set it up if you have a different host. We'll cover two plugins: Jetpack ( https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack/ ) and LiteSpeed Cache ( https://wordpress.org/plugins/litespeed-cache/ ) . 

Let's start with Jetpack. Head to your WordPress dashboard. Then, go to Jetpack > Dashboard > Performance. Look for the Image Accelerator setting and toggle it to the on position:

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/jetpack-cdn.png If you prefer LiteSpeed Cache, you'll need to tweak a few more settings. Go to LiteSpeed Cache > CDN to see your options:

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/litespeed-cache-cdn-settings.png Make sure that all of your CDN options are turned on. The plugin will enable most of them already, so this is more of a double-check. You can always leave the default settings in place if you're unsure about some of them. Remember to click on Save Changes after any alterations.

However, you're in no way limited to these two plugins. The WordPress plugin directory offers many high-quality programs for you to choose from. Feel free to take a look around and see if any will better fit your website's needs.

2. Consider Using Jetpack Boost ( https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack-boost/ )

Powerful features are also available in simple and user-friendly software. If you're looking for one-click ways to improve your Core Web Vitals score, you may want to consider Jetpack Boost ( https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack-boost/ ) .

Jetpack Boost approaches your site's performance in three ways:

* Optimizes CSS loading for faster load times on desktop and mobile
* Delays any non-essential Javascript to deliver essential information faster
* Uses lazy loading, which prioritizes quickly loading on-screen images ( https://wordpress.com/go/web-design/how-to-increase-image-load-speed-on-your-website/ ) before off-screen ones

You don't have to understand any of the technical details involved in these. In fact, configuring them can be a super simple process. 

Just head to the Jetpack Boost dashboard. There, you'll see an estimated mobile and desktop score plus a few settings:

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/jetpack-boost-dashboard.png From here, just move all three options into the on position. Afterward, you can revisit this page to see how much your loading screen times have improved.

Jetpack Boost is a tool that focuses more on fixing problems than explaining them. Thus, if you want more detailed information on your scores, we recommend monitoring your Core Web Vitals with one of the methods we covered earlier.

3. Keep an Eye on Third-Party Scripts

Your site probably uses a few third-party scripts. Some examples include social sharing buttons, video player embeds, and digital advertising ( https://wordpress.com/go/digital-marketing/online-advertising-for-small-businesses-how-to-get-started/ ) . If any of these programs are poorly coded, you could be looking at a potential dip in your Core Web Vitals score.

Unfortunately, there's no simple solution here. You almost certainly have no control over how these scripts are written. However, you probably don't want to get rid of them completely either, especially if they're helping boost your income ( https://wordpress.com/go/tutorials/4-ways-to-create-a-passive-income-website-with-wordpress-com/ ) . 

Therefore, we recommend that you carefully analyze any third-party scripts before adding them to your site. Consider seeking out reviews from others who have used the programs. This feedback might help you decide if a script's load time lag is too significant for you to use it.

Another method is to use your Core Web Vitals tracking technology. Whenever you want to add a third-party script, try seeing how your score changes before and after installing the program. If there's a serious difference between the two metrics, you might want to reconsider your latest addition.

We also recommend that you apply the other Core Web Vitals boosting advice in this article. Your website's performance is a complicated ecosystem, meaning that several aspects work together to determine your total score. If you can't part with your favorite third-party script, you can compensate with other changes.

4. Leverage Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)

Finally, let's explore a tool that addresses mobile loading pages specifically: Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). This HTML framework optimizes web pages for mobile devices, resulting in a faster browsing experience.

AMP itself is not a factor in your Core Web Vitals. However, its direct improvement to your speed can also result in an indirect boost to the Web Vitals score. When you also consider the other ways AMP can positively affect your site ( https://wordpress.com/go/website-building/how-does-google-amp-impact-your-website/ ) , we think it's worth adding to your WordPress website.

The process can also be pretty simple with the help of a plugin. We're fans of the dedicated program called AMP ( https://wordpress.org/plugins/amp/ ) . 

Once you install and activate the plugin, navigate to its dashboard to start the setup process:

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/amp-dashboard-settings.png At this point, we suggest you use the AMP wizard to tailor the settings to your unique site. Select Open Wizard and click through the welcome screen. Then, you'll see information about your template mode choices:

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/amp-wizard-template-mode.png Read through the explanations and pick the one that best fits your site. If you're not sure which one to choose, we recommend starting with Reader mode. You can always change it later.

Finally, you'll need to select a new theme for your mobile visitors ( https://wordpress.com/go/web-design/nine-great-responsive-wordpress-com-themes/ ) . Your desktop theme will load as normal, but your mobile users will see whichever template you choose instead:

https://wpcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/10/amp-theme-selection.png Try to pick an option that closely matches your desktop theme. You can also customize it to better fit your overall brand ( https://wordpress.com/go/content-blogging/adopting-a-brand-voice-how-to-set-the-right-tone-for-your-website/ ) . Finally, click through the last few settings to complete the AMP plugin setup. 

Conclusion

These days, Core Web Vitals play a crucial role in your website's search engine rankings. A few of these metrics may seem complicated and difficult to decipher. Fortunately, even simple site optimization strategies can effectively boost your overall score. 

In this article, we covered four ways that you can prep your website for Core Web Vitals:

* Leverage a Content Delivery Network (CDN) for faster load times across the world.
* Consider using Jetpack Boost ( https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack-boost/ ) to easily improve your site in three different areas.
* Carefully monitor how third-party scripts impact your Core Web Vitals score.
* Apply Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) to cater to your mobile visitors.

These methods will go a long way towards helping you achieve a passing Core Web Vitals score, but if you still have some specific issues even after implementing these tips, we'll help you solve those problems in an upcoming article. Look for that soon.

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