Core Web Vitals in practice (no myths)

Why speed gets misunderstood

Most people think "speed = images + hosting."

In reality, speed is a feeling, not a PageSpeed score.

Users don't think:

"My LCP is 3.2 seconds today."

They think:

"This feels slow."
or
"This is clean and immediate."

Speed is about responsiveness, stability, and flow.

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1) The score is not the goal

A "90+ score" does not guarantee good UX.

What matters is:

• How fast the main content appears (LCP)
• Whether the layout shifts while loading (CLS)
• How quickly interactions respond (INP)

If these feel good → the site feels fast. If not → the score doesn't matter.

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2) The real causes of slowness

Almost always:

• Oversized images
• Third-party scripts
• Fonts loaded incorrectly
• Components rendered before needed

It's usually frontend decisions, not the server.

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3) Practical steps that actually work

Forget "install a speed plugin."
Do this:

• Set width/height for all images → prevents layout shift
• Load fonts properly (swap/block based on brand feeling)
• Defer non-critical scripts until after interaction
• Lazy-load everything except the hero
• Avoid animations before the main content is visible

These are the highest-leverage changes.

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4) What "fast" feels like to a human

Fast = the user feels in control.

• Can scroll instantly
• Can click and get immediate feedback
• Content stays in place while they read

That matters more than the score.

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Example of meaningful improvement

"Reduced LCP from 3.8s → 1.7s by fixing image loading and deferring scripts. No hosting changes required."

Speed comes from prioritization, not magic tricks.

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Bottom Line:

Core Web Vitals are not a test to pass.
They represent how your site feels to real people.

Fast = Instant visibility + Stable layout + Responsive interaction.
Everything else is decoration.