Core Web Vitals are key for Publishers or anyone with a website in general because they are used to track a website’s performance and impact its search engine ranking. But there’s more to the story. Why else should you care about Core Web Vitals? These metrics can affect your ad revenue too! (cue dramatic sound effect).
Let’s rewind a little bit. Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics set by Google to track a website’s user experience performance. They are used to measure the loading time, responsiveness, and the stability you deliver to your users.
What are the Core Web Vitals?
Largest Contenful Paint (LCP)
LCP measures loading performance. It tracks the time it takes for your webpage’s largest element to render within view (and this includes your ad units!). The ideal LCP score should be less than 2.5 seconds.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
As the name suggests, INP measures interactivity. It keeps tabs of how quickly your webpage responds to users’ interactions, such as clicks. If your INP is 200 milliseconds or less, then you met the mark!
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
CLS measures unexpected shifts in your webpage’s layout. For instance, these obnoxious shifts can happen when you don’t reserve space for the ad units. So, deliver the best user experience you can to your visitors aiming for a CLS of 0.1 or less!
We could go on and on about these metrics for days! Make sure to check out our latest article where we talk more about the basics of Core Web Vitals and how to improve them. Let’s continue with what you actually came to this article for. Why are Core Web Vitals so important for Publishers?
Why should publishers care about their Core Web Vitals
Core Web Vitals, despite not being the sole cause that determines your website’s search ranking, they can still play an important role on your website and ad’s performance. Here are key reasons why publishers should keep an eye on their Core Web Vitals:
You never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Core Web Vitals determine users’ initial perception of your site’s responsiveness. From there visitors decide whether they engage with your content (and your ads!) and stay longer having a nice time on your website…. or move on with their lives in the worst case scenario.
User Experience
Frustrated users kill your site’s engagement, which you need to generate more impressions and interaction with your ads. A significant delay or content shift makes users feel like interactions are lagging and the page is slow, which leads to a high bounce rate. You can find out more of the effects of user experience in your website and how to improve it on this article by Itziar, our in-house UX lead!
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
In case you aren’t tired of us repeating this several times already, CWV impacts your website’s ranking in search engines. How so? The thing is…Google rewards responsive sites that deliver swift feedback to user’s interactions and low CLS scores for better user experiences. The better you look in the eyes of the search engines, the better your website will rank. Follow this SEO guide for Publishers we prepared to start optimizing your site ASAP!
Ad monetization
Ads are an element of a website that when neglected can cause awful user experience. And guess what? You need functional ads as part of your ad monetization strategy to get revenue! So, how do you handle them correctly? Find that sweet spot between offering good user experience while optimizing your ad performance.
One way to do it is by using methods to sell the ad inventory that improve the loading speed of your ad slots such as Header Bidding. Take a look at some of the recommendations by Chrome’s Web. dev to have efficiently loading ads without negatively impacting loading speed.
Another good practice is to place the ad units mindfully on the webpage, so they don’t shift positions or overwhelm the user. Discover how you can maximize your ad revenue with these ad placement strategies from our AdOps expert, Germán!
Partners who care about Core Web Vitals go a long way
The biggest takeaway from this 800-word article you just read is that users are most likely to gravitate towards a website that delivers great user experience. You want search engines to rank your webpage as high as possible, and visitors to engage with the content to maximize ad revenue.
Our ad monetization solutions at Refinery89 are perfectly designed with your Core Web Vitals in mind. We can give you a hand meeting those marks! They not only can increase your ad revenue but also enhance your Core Web Vitals to improve performance. Plus, we got the best professionals to treat your site with the best care and keep an eye on it for you. Reach out to us to learn more about Core Web Vitals-friendly website monetization solutions!
