Core Web Vitals explained: LCP, CLS, and INP in plain English

Core Web Vitals are three metrics Google uses to measure how good (or frustrating) your website feels to real users. They influence rankings and, more importantly, whether visitors stick around.

The three metrics

• •LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) — how fast the main content appears. Aim under 2.5 seconds.
• •CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) — how much the page jumps around as it loads. Aim near zero.
• •INP (Interaction to Next Paint) — how quickly the page responds to taps and clicks.

Why they matter

A site that loads fast, doesn't jump around, and responds instantly feels trustworthy — and Google rewards it. A slow, janky site loses both visitors and rankings.

How to check yours

Run your pages through Google PageSpeed Insights, which reports these metrics. If they're in the red, it's costing you customers you never see.