Core Web Vitals remain a critical ranking factor in 2026. For Melbourne businesses, optimising these three metrics means faster sites, happier users, and better search visibility.
Understanding the Three Metrics
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)
LCP measures how long it takes for the largest visible element to load. This is usually your hero image, featured video, or main heading block. Target: under 2.5 seconds.
INP (Interaction to Next Paint)
INP replaced FID in 2024. It measures how quickly your page responds to user interactions throughout the entire visit—not just the first click. Target: under 200 milliseconds.
CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)
CLS measures visual stability—how much the page layout shifts while loading. Unexpected shifts frustrate users and can cause misclicks. Target: under 0.1.
Melbourne Context: Many Australian hosting providers and CDNs offer local edge servers. Using Melbourne-based infrastructure can significantly improve LCP for local visitors.
Quick Wins for Each Metric
Improving LCP
- Optimise and compress hero images
- Use next-gen formats (WebP, AVIF)
- Implement lazy loading for below-fold content
- Use a CDN with Australian edge servers
- Preload critical resources
Improving INP
- Minimise JavaScript execution time
- Break up long tasks into smaller chunks
- Use web workers for heavy processing
- Optimise event handlers
- Remove unused JavaScript
Improving CLS
- Set explicit dimensions on images and videos
- Reserve space for ads and embeds
- Avoid inserting content above existing content
- Use CSS transform for animations instead of properties that trigger layout
Measuring Your Performance
Use these tools to measure and monitor Core Web Vitals:
- Google Search Console: Real user data from your actual visitors
- PageSpeed Insights: Lab and field data with optimisation suggestions
- Chrome DevTools: Detailed debugging information
- Web Vitals Extension: Real-time metrics while browsing
For comprehensive technical SEO guidance, explore our complete technical optimisation guides.