Stop. If you’ve read the headline about Google introducing INP to core web vitals and have already switched off, don’t.
Here’s a simple explanation about what it is, why you should know and what it means for your website.
A new metric for ranking websites
Google has announced that it will be introducing a new metric, Interaction to Next Paint (INP), to its Core Web Vitals ranking signals in March 2024.
If you’re new here, this is why website ranking is so important
Imagine you own a high street shop. You want as many people as possible to see your shop and come in to buy. So, you rent a location on a very busy street and put up a big, bright sign.
Website ranking is like renting a location on a very busy street. When your website ranks high in search results, people are more likely to see it and visit your site.
What does INP do?
INP measures how quickly your pages respond to user interactions, such as button clicks, by displaying visual feedback, such as updating the shopping cart icon or changing a product colour.
Why do we need INP?
INP is a more accurate measure of perceived responsiveness than the current Core Web Vital metric, First Input Delay (FID).
Oh my goodness. Another acronym. What does FID do?
FID measures the time it takes for the browser to start processing a user interaction, but it doesn’t take into account the time it takes for the browser to display visual feedback. This can lead to inaccuracies in FID scores, especially for pages with complex interactions.
Is there a simpler analogy?
Yes! Imagine you are in a restaurant and you order a drink. The waiter takes your order and goes to the bar. FID would measure the time it takes for the waiter to start walking to the bar. INP would measure the time it takes for you to get your drink.
A more holistic measure
INP is a more holistic measure of responsiveness because it takes into account the entire user experience, from the time a user interacts with a page to the time they see a visual response. This makes it a more accurate measure of how quickly and smoothly your pages feel to users.
A positive step in the right direction
The introduction of INP to Core Web Vitals is a positive development for website owners and developers. It will help them to improve the user experience of their websites and improve their chances of ranking well in Google search results.
Tips for improving your INP score
- Reduce the amount of JavaScript that needs to be executed on your pages
- Use a content delivery network (CDN) to serve your static assets
- Optimise your images for fast-loading
- Avoid using excessive CSS and HTML
- Use a caching plugin to store static copies of your pages
You can test your INP score using Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. This tool will give you a score for your page’s INP and FID performance, as well as recommendations for how to improve your scores.
The best tip by far
Employ an agency to do it for you and speak to a specialist like me.
About 8848
8848 Agency is a successful full-service agency. We provide marketing communications support to a wide range of blue-chip and successful businesses. Established in 1999, we provide a wide range of marketing support.
Our specialist search engine optimisation (SEO) team can:
- Increase your website traffic: our team can help you to attract more visitors to your website. The higher your website ranks, the more likely people are to see it and click on it
- Improve your brand awareness: we can help to improve brand awareness for your business through better SEO. This is because when people search for products or services related to your business, your website is more likely to appear in the search results. This exposure can help to increase awareness of your brand and make it more memorable to potential customers.
- More leads and sales: we can help you generate more leads and sales for your business by attracting more people to your website. The more visitors, the more likely it is that some of them will become leads or customers.
Alongside SEO, 8848 has a team of experts in a variety of marketing disciplines including:
- Branding
- Content marketing
- Digital marketing
- Sponsorship management
- Email marketing
- Public relations
- Social media marketing
- Web design and development
- Dedicated B2B contact centre