This article explores core web vitals 2.0: what’s next for technical seo with practical strategies, case studies, and insights for modern SEO and AEO.
Google's Core Web Vitals have revolutionized how we approach technical SEO since their introduction. These user-centered metrics have shifted the focus from purely technical benchmarks to actual user experience measurements. As we look toward the future, understanding where Core Web Vitals are heading is crucial for any SEO professional, web developer, or site owner who wants to maintain competitive advantage in search rankings.
At Webbb.ai, we've been tracking the evolution of these metrics across hundreds of client sites, and we're already seeing signs of what Google might introduce in Core Web Vitals 2.0. This comprehensive guide will explore the potential future directions of these critical metrics and how you can prepare your website for the next evolution in user experience measurement.
Before we look to the future, let's briefly review the current Core Web Vitals that have become essential ranking factors:
LCP measures loading performance and should occur within 2.5 seconds of when the page first starts loading. This metric identifies when the largest content element in the viewport becomes visible to users.
FID measures interactivity and should be less than 100 milliseconds. This metric quantifies users' first impression of your site's responsiveness when trying to interact with unloaded pages.
CLS measures visual stability and should be less than 0.1. This metric quantifies how much visible content shifts unexpectedly during the loading process.
These three metrics represent the core of Google's current user experience measurement, but they're far from perfect. As technology evolves and user expectations change, Google will inevitably expand and refine these metrics.
While the current Core Web Vitals provide valuable insights, they have several limitations that Google will likely address in future iterations:
The current metrics don't adequately account for the unique challenges of mobile devices, particularly varying network conditions and hardware capabilities across different price points and regions.
Current metrics primarily focus on content that appears in the initial viewport, potentially overlooking user experience with content that appears further down the page.
FID only measures the first interaction, but users engage with pages through multiple interactions, each of which contributes to the overall experience.
The current metrics don't directly account for accessibility factors that significantly impact user experience for people with disabilities.
Different types of content (e.g., e-commerce product pages vs. long-form articles) may require different user experience measurement approaches.
Based on Google's research, patent filings, and statements from their Web Vitals team, we can make educated predictions about what Core Web Vitals 2.0 might include:
INP is already being positioned as a replacement for FID. While FID measures only the first interaction, INP measures all interactions throughout the page's lifecycle, providing a more comprehensive view of responsiveness.
INP records the latency of all click, tap, and keyboard interactions during a user's visit to a page, then returns the worst latency (excluding outliers). A good INP is below 200 milliseconds, while anything above 500 milliseconds needs improvement.
Google is experimenting with metrics that quantify the smoothness of animations and scrolling. As sites incorporate more interactive elements and animations, ensuring these don't degrade user experience becomes crucial.
Potential smoothness metrics might measure:
With growing emphasis on sustainability and battery life on mobile devices, Google might introduce metrics that measure how efficiently a website uses device resources. This would be particularly important for mobile users concerned about battery drain.
Websites that consume excessive memory can slow down devices and even cause browser crashes. Memory usage metrics could become part of Core Web Vitals 2.0 to address this issue.
Google has increasingly emphasized accessibility as a component of good user experience. Core Web Vitals 2.0 might include metrics related to:
To address the above-the-fold bias of current metrics, Google might introduce measurements for content that becomes visible as users scroll down the page, including:
While we don't know exactly what Core Web Vitals 2.0 will include, there are proactive steps you can take to future-proof your website:
Start monitoring Interaction to Next Paint alongside your current Core Web Vitals. Tools like CrUX Report, PageSpeed Insights, and Chrome DevTools already provide INP data.
To improve INP:
Prepare for potential smoothness metrics by optimizing animations:
Anticipate energy and memory usage metrics by optimizing how your site consumes resources:
Regardless of whether accessibility metrics become part of Core Web Vitals, improving accessibility benefits all users:
Prepare for metrics that measure below-the-fold content:
Beyond the basics, here are more advanced techniques to prepare for the next generation of user experience metrics:
Implement machine learning models to predict user behavior and prefetch resources accordingly. This can significantly improve perceived performance without wasteful loading of unnecessary resources.
Create mechanisms that serve different assets based on:
For JavaScript-heavy sites, implement progressive hydration techniques that prioritize interactivity for critical components while deferring less important functionality.
Go beyond basic service workers to implement sophisticated caching strategies that balance freshness with performance, potentially using technologies like Cloudflare Workers or Edge Side Includes.
Integrate performance budgets directly into your development pipeline to prevent regressions. Tools like Lighthouse CI can automatically fail builds that exceed performance thresholds.
As Core Web Vitals evolve, your measurement strategies must evolve too:
RUM provides the most accurate picture of actual user experience. Implement comprehensive RUM using tools like:
While RUM measures actual user experience, synthetic monitoring helps you catch issues before they affect users. Use tools like:
Develop processes to correlate field data (from real users) with lab data (from testing environments) to better predict how changes will impact real-world performance.
Break down performance data by:
This segmentation helps identify specific user groups that might be experiencing poor performance.
Set clear performance targets for your site and track progress against these goals. Regularly review and adjust these targets as technology and user expectations evolve.
Technical improvements alone aren't enough—you need the right organizational structure and processes:
Create teams with representatives from development, design, content, and SEO to address performance holistically. Performance is a cross-cutting concern that requires collaboration across disciplines.
Foster a culture where performance is considered from the beginning of projects, not as an afterthought. This includes:
Schedule regular performance review meetings where teams discuss metrics, identify issues, and plan improvements. Make performance a standing agenda item in relevant meetings.
Consider tying performance metrics to team or individual goals to ensure they receive appropriate attention and resources.
The web performance landscape evolves rapidly. Invest in continuous education for your team through:
At Webbb.ai, we've been proactively preparing for Core Web Vitals 2.0 across our client portfolio. Here's our approach:
We began with a comprehensive audit of current performance metrics, focusing not just on the official Core Web Vitals but also on potential future metrics like INP, smoothness, and memory usage.
We enhanced our monitoring infrastructure to track:
Based on our assessment, we implemented a prioritized optimization program focusing on:
While we can't share specific client data, we've observed:
Our work with technical SEO services has shown that proactive preparation for Core Web Vitals evolution pays dividends in both search performance and user satisfaction.
Core Web Vitals represent Google's commitment to quantifying and rewarding excellent user experiences. As these metrics evolve toward Core Web Vitals 2.0, websites that proactively address the likely new metrics will maintain competitive advantage in search rankings.
The key takeaways for preparing for Core Web Vitals 2.0 are:
At Webbb.ai, we believe that the future of SEO is increasingly intertwined with overall user experience. By embracing this evolution and preparing for Core Web Vitals 2.0 now, you can ensure your website not only ranks well but truly delivers for your users.
For more insights on technical SEO and preparing for future algorithm changes, explore our SEO blog or contact our team for a personalized consultation on optimizing your website for the future of user experience measurement.
To continue your learning journey about Core Web Vitals and technical SEO, we recommend these related articles from our blog:
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