Google’s most recently updated its search algorithm, increasing its focus on user experience in relation to page speed and core web vitals. 

There are four simple steps you can take to boost your page speed and master core web vitals. 

First, optimize your site images and ensure your content is dynamic. Next, think carefully about using plug-ins or not using them at all, and minify the code on your site. 

This is a brief overview of the four ways you can go about boosting your page speed. We will now go further into how you can use each of these, so you have an efficient, high-ranking site.

1. Optimize Images 

To boost page speed, and master core web vitals, it is important to optimize your site images. 

Poorly optimized images are one of the main causes that may impact a site’s LCP score, since they typically are the largest page element to load. When you do go to optimize your images, you should make sure they are no larger than they need to be and make sure they are in the right file format. 

For instance, PNGs are usually better for graphics with less than 16 colors, while JPEGS are usually better for photographs. 

Images such as GIF, PNG, and JPEG formats make up 96% of the entire internet’s image traffic. Something to be aware of, if you do use third party tools to optimize your images, is that the transformation may make your image larger, or compromise the image’s quality. 

Optimizing your images is not just critical in boosting your page speed, and mastering core web vitals, but it makes your website more attractive and informative for your intended audience. 

2. Employ Dynamic Content and Ads 

You should employ dynamic content not only onto your site, but also in your ads. 

When you employ dynamic content and ads, you should make sure ads are not taking forever to load or cause elements on a site page to shift the ad. Using a smart implementation method to employ dynamic content, which includes allocating size attributes or CSS aspect ratio boxes for ads and images elements on a site, can reduce any content shifting. 

During this implementation process of dynamic content, you should keep in mind that loading ads and page shifting are some of the main contributing factors to a bad CLS score. 

Using dynamic content on your site can boost your conversion rate by making the customer’s experience more relevant and intuitive. 

In employing dynamic content, you should have personalized, data-driven recommendations, calls-to-action, or pop-ups that fit to and further solidify the message you are trying to convey to your audience. 

Furthemore, many of these dynamic content types help to reduce the amount of unnecessary or redundant information that may be delivered to visitors. 

By getting rid of any fluff content, this will help direct your user to take the next step in the customer lifestyle or discovery process of your site. Ultimately, you should research, structure your content, and employ it in a way that makes sense to your audience, as well as boosting your page speed and mastering your core web vitals, too. 

3. Use Plugins sparingly or not at all 

Using plugins can work as a temporary fix. 

Plugins can slow down and hinder web performance, since the code needs to be able to load before the user is able to completely interact with a site page. 

Furthermore, using plugins can increase both server request counts and Javascript execution time, which can in turn contribute to a lower FID score. 

For instance, WordPress tends to be a plugin centric platform. So when choosing a site platform or plugin you should be mindful so your site is not negatively affected.

 And if you do need to do something beyond just adding content to your site, such as optimizing images, you may need to use a plugin.  While plugins are quick fixes, they can be a source of code bloat. Be mindful when using plugins on your site, and either use them sparingly or just not at all. 

4. Minify Code

To boost page speed and master core web vitals, you should minify the code  you use. That’s because unused CSS and JavaScript may not directly affect page speed score, but it can impact the site’s load times, create code bloat, and negatively affect user experience. 

You should minify the CSS code you use on your site, because it will greatly reduce page load time. You should also minify the number of client-server requests in delivering website content. 

Another thing to consider is minifying JavaScript and external files that are not cached. Google recommends minifying JavaScript files over 4096 bytes of size, and shaving off at least 25 bytes to produce any noticeable difference toward page load time. 

In this case, minifying code means  removing unnecessary spaces, characters, comments and any other unneeded elements to reduce the size of files. Something to consider is decreasing file sizes, so you can combine them easier. In doing so, this will result in more cohesive, cleaner code and help your site pages load faster. 

Closing Thoughts 

Once you go through these four simple steps, you should first see how your site stacks up when it comes to site scores and page speed tests. If your site ranks well, then it typically has a higher core web vitals score. 

Google always puts user experience at the forefront, so you should make sure your users are able to easily, logically get around on your site. You should also look at what may be hindering or even enhancing page load times on your site, and which pages are seeing more traffic than others. 

By looking at your site from the outside in, you can see which pages may be structured well and which ones could use some changes in order to perform even better. At the end of day, you should go through each of these steps with the user in mind, because they will be the deciding factor in whether or not your site ranks well or not in page results.