We've all witnessed the ebb and flow of countless ranking factors and algorithm updates. When Core Web Vitals burst onto the scene, it sent ripples of excitement and anxiety through the SEO community. Initially hyped as a game-changer, its actual impact has been more nuanced than many expected. While it may not be the make-or-break ranking factor once anticipated, Core Web Vitals still play a subtle yet significant role in SEO strategy, especially for those of us aiming to secure spots in Google News, Google Discover, and other premium search features such as Top Stories and the news tab.

The Changing Landscape of Google News

Google's decision to sunset its Publisher Center and remove the manual approval process for Google News has fundamentally altered the playing field. This bold move has thrown open the doors, making all websites potentially eligible for these coveted platforms. However, this newfound accessibility is a double-edged sword. While the barriers to entry have been lowered, the onus is now squarely on website owners to fine-tune their content and structure. To stand out from the crowd, sites must now rigorously align with Google's stringent quality benchmarks, making optimization more crucial than ever for potential inclusion.

Let's unpack the real-world importance of Core Web Vitals and why they still matter, especially when your goal is to have your content included in Google's news ecosystem. We'll explore how optimizing these metrics can give you an edge, particularly especially in a tie-breaker scenario where all other factors may be considered equal. Let's dive into why Core Web Vitals remain a key consideration in your SEO toolkit, even if they're not the SEO revolution we once thought they might be.

Understanding Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are a series of metrics related to your site's user experience. They measure loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability on a page. As of March 2024, the Core Web Vitals consist of three key metrics:

1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This measures loading performance. It's the time it takes for the largest content element visible in the viewport to render. A good LCP is 2.5 seconds or less.
2. Interaction to Next Paint (INP): This metric replaced First Input Delay (FID) in March 2024. INP measures the overall interaction delay of a page throughout the user's entire journey. A good INP score should be 200 milliseconds or less. (Note: Support for FID will end on September 9, 2024.)
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This measures visual stability by quantifying how much the page layout shifts during loading. A good CLS score is 0.1 or less.

Metric	What it Measures	Good Score	Description
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)	Loading performance	≤ 2.5 seconds	LCP should occur within the first 2.5 seconds of the page starting to load
Interaction To Next Paint (INP)	Responsiveness	< 200 milliseconds	INP should be less than 200 milliseconds to provide a good user experience
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)	Visual stability	< 0.1	CLS score should be less than 0.1 to ensure good visual stability

Why Core Web Vitals Matter for Google News and Search Features

Now, you might be wondering, “Why should I care about these metrics for my news site?” The answer is simple: user experience. Google's primary goal is to provide the best possible experience for its users, and this is especially crucial in the fast-paced world of news consumption.

1. User Engagement: When it comes to news, speed is everything. Users want to access information quickly, especially for breaking stories. A fast LCP ensures that your main content loads rapidly, keeping readers engaged and reducing bounce rates. Similarly, a good FCP gives users that crucial first impression that your site is snappy and responsive.
2. Ranking Signals: Google has explicitly stated that Core Web Vitals are ranking factors. This means that optimizing these metrics can give you an edge in search results, including news-specific features like Top Stories and the News tab. In the competitive world of online news, every ranking boost counts.
3. Trust and Reliability: News websites live and die by their reputation. A site that loads quickly and provides a stable reading experience (thanks to a good CLS score) is perceived as more professional and trustworthy. In an era of “fake news” concerns, establishing this trust through a solid user experience is more important than ever.
4. Ad Integration: Let's face it – ads are a reality for most news sites. But poorly implemented ads can wreak havoc on your Core Web Vitals, especially CLS. By optimizing your ad placements and ensuring they don't cause layout shifts, you're not just improving your metrics; you're creating a better overall experience that keeps readers (and Google) happy.

Remember, in the world of online news, every second counts. 

Optimizing Core Web Vitals for News Websites

Now that we understand why Core Web Vitals are so crucial, let's talk about how to optimize them for news websites:

1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

• Optimize your server response times. Consider using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to reduce latency.
• Compress and optimize images without sacrificing quality. This is crucial for news sites that often rely heavily on visual content.
• Minimize JavaScript and CSS blocking times to enhance client-side rendering.

2. Interaction to Next Paint (INP)

• Optimize event handlers to ensure quick response to user interactions.
• Minimize main thread blocking by long-running tasks.
• Ensure that interactive elements (like buttons, forms, and menus) respond quickly to user input.

3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

• Always include size attributes on images and video elements. This reserves space for them before they load, preventing layout shifts.
• Manage ads and embeds carefully. Ensure they have reserved spaces to avoid unexpected shifts.
• Avoid inserting new content above existing content unless it's in response to user interaction.
• Be cautious with dynamically injected content, font loading, and animations that could cause layout shifts.

Measuring and Monitoring Core Web Vitals

To effectively optimize your Core Web Vitals, you need to measure and monitor them regularly. Here are some tools you can use:

1. Google Search Console: This should be your starting point. It provides a Core Web Vitals report with a 28-day rolling average of your site's performance.
2. Google Lighthouse: An open-source, automated tool that audits the performance, accessibility, SEO, and more of a page as it's being served.
3. PageSpeed Insights: This tool gives you an understanding of what is slowing your site down and tells you which of the three CWV your site may be failing.
4. Chrome UX (CrUX) Report: A dataset that reflects how real-world Chrome users experience popular destinations on the web.
5. Third-party tools: SEO Pro Extension and Core SERP Vitals Extension provide CWV scores right in your browser, allowing you to compare your site with competitors easily.

The Reality of Core Web Vitals Optimization

While optimizing for Core Web Vitals is crucial, it's important to maintain realistic expectations:

1. Perfection is Nearly Impossible: It's nearly impossible to have perfect CWV scores, especially for news sites. The challenges of interactive journalism, ad placements, and CTAs make it very difficult to have everything be seamless for every interaction.
2. Focus on User Experience: Rather than obsessing over perfect scores, focus on providing a good overall user experience that gives your readers the information they need quickly and smoothly.
3. Ongoing Effort: Core Web Vitals optimization should be an ongoing effort in your newsroom, not a one-time fix. Work closely with your site teams to continually identify and address CWV issues.
4. Don't Panic: A significant number of “poor” URLs in your CWV report is cause for concern, but what constitutes “significant” depends on the size of your site. For small sites, 1,000 “poor” URLs is definitely concerning, but for large publishers, it may not be.
5. Quality Content Remains King: While CWV are important, they should not overshadow your primary focus: producing quality, engaging content. A technically perfect site with subpar content won't succeed in the long run.

The Competitive Edge

In the crowded space of online news, optimizing for Core Web Vitals can give you a significant competitive advantage. During breaking news events or viral stories, the sites that can deliver content fastest and with the best user experience are the ones that will capture and retain audience attention.

Moreover, as more news sites begin to optimize for these metrics, failing to do so could leave you behind. It's not just about gaining an advantage anymore; it's about not falling behind in an increasingly technical and user-focused landscape.

Vitally Important: Core Web Vitals Strategies for Google News Visibility

Core Web Vitals are more than just another set of metrics to chase. For news websites aiming to be included in Google News, Google Discover, and related search features, they represent a fundamental shift towards prioritizing real-world user experience. By focusing on these vital signs of web usability, you're not just improving your chances of Google inclusion; you're creating a better, more engaging experience for your readers.

Remember, in the world of online news, every second counts. Start optimizing your Core Web Vitals today, and watch as your content becomes more visible, engaging, and successful in Google's news ecosystem. Your readers – and your search rankings – will thank you for it.