Optimize Core Web Vitals for Shopify and Wordpress

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. What are Core Web Vitals?
3. Importance of Improving Core Web Vitals
4. Steps to Improve Core Web Vitals
   • Step 1: Turning off and Outsourcing Non-Critical Third-Party Apps and Plugins
   • Step 2: Minifying and Deferring Remaining Third-Party Plugins and Non-Critical JavaScript
   • Step 3: Converting Images to WebP Format
   • Step 4: Implementing Lazy Loading for Images
   • Step 5: Making Image Sizes Responsive
   • Step 6: Pre-loading Website Fonts and Critical CSS Files
5. Recommended Tools and Plugins
6. Conclusion

Introduction

In this article, we will explore the concept of Core Web Vitals and why they are worth improving for your website. Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics that measure the overall user experience and usability of a website. They are important for both performance and search engine rankings. We will discuss six actionable steps you can take to improve the Core Web Vitals of your website, focusing on solutions for Shopify and WordPress platforms. Even if you don't use these platforms, you will still find value in the information provided. So, let's dive into the world of Core Web Vitals and learn how to improve them for better website performance.

What are Core Web Vitals?

Core Web Vitals are a set of user-centric metrics that measure aspects of website performance and user experience. These metrics are provided by Google and can be found in Google Search Console and PageSpeed Insights. There are currently four Core Web Vitals metrics:

1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures the time it takes for the largest element on a web page to become visible to the user.
2. First Input Delay (FID): Measures the time it takes for a web page to respond to a user's first interaction, such as a click or tap.
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures the amount of unexpected layout shifts that occur during the loading of a web page.
4. Interactivity (Imp): Measures the overall responsiveness and usability of a web page.

By analyzing these metrics, website owners can gain insights into how their website performs and identify areas for improvement. It is important to note that Core Web Vitals are based on actual user data, providing a more accurate representation of the website's performance.

Importance of Improving Core Web Vitals

Improving Core Web Vitals is crucial for several reasons. First and foremost, it enhances the overall user experience. Websites that load quickly and provide a seamless browsing experience are more likely to engage users and keep them on the site. A positive user experience leads to higher conversion rates, increased time spent on the site, and improved customer satisfaction.

Additionally, Core Web Vitals have an impact on search engine rankings. Google has stated that Core Web Vitals will be included as ranking factors in the future. Websites that prioritize user experience and optimize their Core Web Vitals are likely to achieve higher visibility in search engine results and attract more organic traffic.

In summary, improving Core Web Vitals not only benefits website visitors but also provides a competitive advantage in search engine rankings.

Steps to Improve Core Web Vitals

Now, let's dive into the actionable steps you can take to improve the Core Web Vitals of your website. These steps are applicable to both Shopify and WordPress platforms, and they address different aspects of website performance. By implementing these recommendations, you can optimize your website and enhance the user experience.

Step 1: Turning off and Outsourcing Non-Critical Third-Party Apps and Plugins

One of the primary reasons for slow website performance is the presence of unnecessary third-party apps and plugins. These tools inject additional JavaScript, CSS, and HTML code into your web pages, significantly impacting their loading speed. It is crucial to review and assess the necessity of each app or plugin. Remove or disable any non-critical ones that are not essential for your website's functionality.

Step 2: Minifying and Deferring Remaining Third-Party Plugins and Non-Critical JavaScript

After turning off unnecessary apps and plugins, focus on optimizing the remaining ones. Minify the JavaScript and CSS files associated with these plugins by removing unnecessary white spaces, comments, and redundancies. This reduces the file size and improves loading speed. Consider deferring the loading of non-critical JavaScript, allowing critical resources to load first and enhancing overall performance.

Step 3: Converting Images to WebP Format

Images play a significant role in website loading speed. Convert your images from PNG or JPEG formats to more efficient formats like WebP. WebP offers better compression and maintains image quality, resulting in smaller file sizes. This enables faster image loading, reducing the overall page load time.

Step 4: Implementing Lazy Loading for Images

Lazy loading is a technique that defers the loading of images until the user scrolls near the image area. By implementing lazy loading, the browser only loads the images that are visible to the user, reducing the initial load time and conserving bandwidth. Use plugins or add attributes to your image tags to enable lazy loading and improve Core Web Vitals.

Step 5: Making Image Sizes Responsive

To ensure optimal viewing on different devices, make your images responsive. Assign explicit height and width attributes to your images or use CSS to make them adapt to the viewport size. Responsive images enhance the user experience and prevent layout shifts, improving Core Web Vitals.

Step 6: Pre-loading Website Fonts and Critical CSS Files

Pre-loading critical elements like website fonts and CSS files can help optimize loading speed. By using the preload attribute, you instruct the browser to load these essential resources in advance, reducing the time required to render the page. Implement this technique for critical files to enhance user experience and improve Core Web Vitals.

Recommended Tools and Plugins

To assist you in implementing the steps mentioned above, various tools and plugins can simplify the optimization process. Here are some recommended options:

• Hummingbird: A WordPress plugin for minifying JavaScript, CSS, and optimizing images.
• Smush: Another WordPress plugin for compressing images and enabling lazy loading.
• Minify Me: A Shopify plugin for minifying CSS and JavaScript files.
• Crushed: A Shopify plugin for optimizing website speed.

These tools help streamline the optimization process, making it easier for website owners to enhance Core Web Vitals and improve overall performance.

Conclusion

Improving Core Web Vitals is essential for providing a seamless user experience and optimizing website performance. By following the six steps discussed in this article, you can address various aspects of performance optimization, from eliminating unnecessary plugins to optimizing images and implementing lazy loading. Additionally, using recommended tools and plugins can simplify the optimization process and enhance your website's overall performance. Prioritize user experience, engage visitors, and gain a competitive edge by improving your website's Core Web Vitals.

Remember, optimizing Core Web Vitals is an ongoing process, and it is vital to regularly monitor and assess your website's performance to ensure continued improvement. Stay proactive, adapt to the latest industry standards, and provide users with a fast, user-friendly website experience.