Which frameworks do Google’s Core Web Vitals apply to?
Recently I wrote a blog post on how Google’s Core Web Vitals update ONLY applied to mobile (https://totaldigitalpublishing.com/core-web-vitals-only-matter-on-mobile/). As of the time of writing, this information was accurate, however, in the past few days, Google have dropped an announcement to let us know that moving forward Core Web Vitals WILL count on Desktop.
When will Core Web Vitals count on Desktop?
As with most things Google does these days, it looks like it is going to be a phased roll out, with the first update being pushed in February of 2022. There is no specific date for when this will happen, but I would expect Google to let us know on or around the day when they set this change to be live. Alternatively, keep an eye on your Google Search Console to spot any sudden changes. This is normally a good indication that Google have pushed an update.
Whilst the update starts in February, Google have said they expect it to be finished by the end of March 2022. I’d expect there to be some turbulence during this time, so the best thing you can do now is get your Core Web Vitals in order, and hope that the algorithm smiles kindly upon you. As with any update that Google pushes, it’s best to be prepared. If you are passing on these metrics, then should you see a change in traffic, do not panic or change anything until things have had the opportunity to stabilise. It’s always a mistake to make changes during these roll outs, as its nigh on impossible to know what the actual reason for the change in your traffic is.
As a reminder, I have included this image below (taken from Googles Blog https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2021/11/bringing-page-experience-to-desktop?hl=en) which flags all the elements you will need to ensure your site is passing. As a recap, they are Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) and First Input Delay (FID).
Are there any recommended resources to help you me pass Core Web Vitals?
If you are looking for help passing Core Web Vitals, I would start with this YouTube Video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQqFZ5t8uNc It really is an excellent resource, and details closely how to go through all 3 of the new metrics, and the slight adjustments that are needed to help you obtain a passing score. I will be collating all useful tools that I find over the coming days and turning them into a resource!
