Best Core Web Vitals Opportunities:
Maximizing SEO Impact.
Prioritize Core Web Vitals Improvements:
Boost the site’s rankings and revenue by focusing on URLs with the most potential for improvement.
One of the biggest challenges for SEO professionals is identifying which changes will have the greatest impact on performance.
Qualitative vs. Quantitative SEO Priorities:
When working on SEO for large, enterprise-level websites, it’s tempting to focus on quantitative changes that affect thousands of URLs simultaneously.
However, just because to make changes on many URLs doesn’t guarantee improvement, especially if those URLs are underperforming.
This is where the Core Web Vitals Opportunity Map comes into play.
Introducing the Core Web Vitals ‘Best Opportunity’ Map:
To make meaningful improvements, start by identifying URLs with poor Core Web Vitals scores that impact the site’s performance.
Go one step further by pinpointing URLs with the biggest potential to improve rankings and traffic.
The following data segments are key to the strategy:
URLs with room to improve organic rankings, if Real User Monitoring (RUM) scores are enhanced.
URLs with the highest lift potential, offering opportunities for significant growth.
This map will help to prioritize where qualitative SEO attention should be directed.
Common Missteps in Core Web Vitals Analysis:
Many SEO professionals analyze every indexable URL, but this broad approach can be inefficient.
Instead, should focus on URLs that have RUM data from Google CrUX.
However, not all URLs with low Core Web Vitals scores will benefit from optimization efforts.
The key is to prioritize URLs that will improve both rankings and revenue.
The Best Approach for Identifying Key URLs:
To narrow down the focus:
1. Look for URLs with RUM data in Google CrUX that score as “Needs Improvement” or “Poor.”
2. Identify URLs that could improve their rankings if Core Web Vitals metrics improve.
3. Map keywords with high search volume to these URLs to target those with high traffic and revenue potential.
Identifying URLs with the Biggest Lift Potential:
URLs with the highest lift potential are those that can significantly increase traffic and revenue.
These URLs often share these attributes:
They are not already top-ranking for high-volume keywords.
They have optimized, keyword-rich page copy.
The URLs’ competitors have strong Core Web Vitals scores, while their own scores are weak.
Getting Started: Qualitative Analysis for Quantitative Changes
To begin, segment the URLs into shared code templates (e.g., category pages, product pages, articles, etc.). Once grouped, analyze them using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and WebPageTest.org.
Tips for Using Google PageSpeed Insights:
Ensure that reviewing Core Web Vitals data for the specific URL, not the domain’s origin.
Identify which metrics need improvement and use filters to find relevant recommendations.
Use the tree-map view to spot unused code, which can slow down the page.
Tips for Using WebPageTest.org:
Plan ahead. WebPageTest.org tests can take time, especially during busy periods.
Use the filmstrip view to see a visual representation of how the page loads and a waterfall chart showing what resources loaded and when.
The Web Vitals page provides a summary of key issues to address, highlighting areas for improvement.
Focus on Lift Potential for Maximum Results:
When analyzing Core Web Vitals data, prioritize URLs with the highest potential to improve traffic and revenue.
Use the CrUX API to segment URLs based on shared code or templates, and identify patterns that reveal which metrics to improve.
Often, evaluating just a few URLs can uncover actionable insights that will drive significant performance improvements across the site.