Core Web Vitals
Google's set of metrics for page experience: LCP (loading), INP (interactivity), CLS (visual stability).
Definition
Core Web Vitals are the metrics Google uses to measure real-world page experience. They influence traditional SEO and are increasingly relevant to AI systems that evaluate source quality. The three metrics are:
| Metric | Full name | What it measures | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCP | Largest Contentful Paint | Time until the largest visible element is rendered | < 2.5 s |
| INP | Interaction to Next Paint | Responsiveness to user input (replaced FID in 2024) | < 200 ms |
| CLS | Cumulative Layout Shift | Visual stability (how much the page jumps while loading) | < 0.1 |
Slow or unstable pages are crawled less reliably by AI retrieval crawlers and can be deprioritized as sources.
Relevance to GEO
Good Core Web Vitals support faster crawling, higher crawl budget, and stronger trust signals for agents that assess content quality.