Which Core Web Vital should you fix first?
Fix the metric failing for the most important page type and the largest share of real users. The answer may differ between landing pages, article pages, and checkout.
Category
Core Web Vitals
Making the metrics Google measures move: INP, LCP, CLS, and the performance budget that keeps them green.
Practical guide
Core Web Vitals: what to settle before implementation.
Core Web Vitals work fails when teams optimise the audit tool instead of the page people use. Start with field data by template, device, and traffic source. Then trace LCP, INP, and CLS to the server, browser task, asset, or component causing the delay.
One fast test run is not a control system. Set budgets for server response, JavaScript, images, fonts, and third-party scripts. Check them in delivery and watch field data after release so performance drift becomes visible before rankings or conversion fall.
Before you start
Three decisions that prevent avoidable rework.
✓
Separate field data from laboratory tests and segment it by page type.
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Fix the largest root cause before polishing low-impact assets.
✓
Set release budgets and assign an owner for every third-party script.
Common questions
Direct answers about Core Web Vitals.
Why do Lighthouse and Search Console disagree?
Lighthouse is one controlled test. Search Console aggregates real Chrome visits over time. Device mix, geography, cache state, and user behaviour make the field result different.
Articles
Read more about Core Web Vitals.
Search Console INP problem: find the slow interaction
Map a mobile INP URL group to the user action, latency phase, responsible script, fix, and field-data validation.
Performance budget explained
How to stop websites getting slower after launch.
Related categories
Related categories
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