Detailed research analysis examining how Core Web Vitals optimisation drives real improvements in conversions, revenue, and search rankings through enterprise case studies, Chrome UX Report data, and controlled A/B testing
How we validated Core Web Vitals business impact through authoritative sources and real user data
This research pulls from multiple authoritative sources to show the real business impact of Core Web Vitals optimisation.
Google Web Vitals Initiative: Official research and documentation from Google's Chrome team defining Core Web Vitals metrics, thresholds, and business impact data.
Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX): Real user monitoring data from millions of Chrome users worldwide, showing how Core Web Vitals scores are distributed across 8 million+ origins.
Web.dev Case Studies: Detailed case studies from major e-commerce platforms (Rakuten, Vodafone, Tokopedia) documenting optimisation efforts and quantified business outcomes.
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures loading performance. Good: < 2.5 seconds, Needs Improvement: 2.5-4s, Poor: > 4s.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Measures responsiveness. Good: < 200ms, Needs Improvement: 200-500ms, Poor: > 500ms. (Replaced First Input Delay on March 12, 2024)
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures visual stability. Good: < 0.1, Needs Improvement: 0.1-0.25, Poor: > 0.25.
We pulled together:
All claims include:
Real business impact from Core Web Vitals optimisation. Backed by Google research, enterprise case studies, and actual user data
Rakuten 24 achieved 53.4% increase in revenue per visitor and 33.13% conversion rate improvement through Core Web Vitals optimisation. A/B testing demonstrated direct correlation between good Core Web Vitals and business metrics.
A/B testing comparing user groups experiencing good versus poor Core Web Vitals. Measured revenue per visitor, conversion rates, and engagement metrics over sustained period.
Mobile sites are 2.8x more likely to have poor LCP scores compared to desktop. Only 43.4% of mobile sites meet Core Web Vitals standards versus 53% for desktop, with mobile pages loading 70% slower on average.
Aggregate analysis of Chrome UX Report data from over 8 million origins. Compared Core Web Vitals score distributions across mobile and desktop devices.
Product pages with 2-second LCP have 40-50% higher conversion rates than those with 4-5 second LCP. One-second page load delay reduces conversions by up to 5%.
Analysis of e-commerce conversion rates comparing LCP performance thresholds. Measured conversion rate differences across page speed segments.
Sites with good Cumulative Layout Shift scores (< 0.1) experience 31% lower abandonment rates compared to sites with poor CLS (> 0.25). Visual stability directly affects user trust and engagement.
Chrome User Experience Report analysis across millions of page views. Measured correlation between CLS scores and session duration, bounce rates, and abandonment.
Tokopedia improved LCP from 4.1s to 2.3s, achieving 3.2x return on investment through increased conversions and reduced bounce rates. Performance optimisation generated measurable revenue impact.
Before/after analysis over 12 weeks. Measured revenue impact, conversion rates, bounce rates, and development costs. ROI calculated as revenue increase minus optimisation investment.
Only 51% of websites pass all three Core Web Vitals metrics, with LCP being the hardest (57.8% pass rate). This represents a competitive opportunity, as many sites still fail to meet Google standards.
Aggregate CrUX data analysis showing overall pass rates as of June 2024. Trend analysis shows improvement from 39% in 2022 to 50.5% in 2024.
Rakuten 24 achieved 53.4% increase in revenue per visitor and 33.13% conversion rate improvement through Core Web Vitals optimisation. A/B testing demonstrated direct correlation between good Core Web Vitals and business metrics.
A/B testing comparing user groups experiencing good versus poor Core Web Vitals. Measured revenue per visitor, conversion rates, and engagement metrics over sustained period.
Mobile sites are 2.8x more likely to have poor LCP scores compared to desktop. Only 43.4% of mobile sites meet Core Web Vitals standards versus 53% for desktop, with mobile pages loading 70% slower on average.
Aggregate analysis of Chrome UX Report data from over 8 million origins. Compared Core Web Vitals score distributions across mobile and desktop devices.
Product pages with 2-second LCP have 40-50% higher conversion rates than those with 4-5 second LCP. One-second page load delay reduces conversions by up to 5%.
Analysis of e-commerce conversion rates comparing LCP performance thresholds. Measured conversion rate differences across page speed segments.
Sites with good Cumulative Layout Shift scores (< 0.1) experience 31% lower abandonment rates compared to sites with poor CLS (> 0.25). Visual stability directly affects user trust and engagement.
Chrome User Experience Report analysis across millions of page views. Measured correlation between CLS scores and session duration, bounce rates, and abandonment.
Tokopedia improved LCP from 4.1s to 2.3s, achieving 3.2x return on investment through increased conversions and reduced bounce rates. Performance optimisation generated measurable revenue impact.
Before/after analysis over 12 weeks. Measured revenue impact, conversion rates, bounce rates, and development costs. ROI calculated as revenue increase minus optimisation investment.
Only 51% of websites pass all three Core Web Vitals metrics, with LCP being the hardest (57.8% pass rate). This represents a competitive opportunity, as many sites still fail to meet Google standards.
Aggregate CrUX data analysis showing overall pass rates as of June 2024. Trend analysis shows improvement from 39% in 2022 to 50.5% in 2024.
Business impact analysis of LCP, INP, and CLS optimisation across enterprise deployments
The research shows clear causation (not just correlation) between Core Web Vitals and business metrics:
These results come from proper A/B testing, not just observational studies.
Mobile experiences are 2.8x more likely to have poor LCP scores compared to desktop:
This persistent gap creates opportunity for businesses that prioritise mobile optimisation.
Only 57.8% of websites achieve good LCP scores, making it the most common failure point. Yet LCP improvements deliver:
Cumulative Layout Shift improvements reduce abandonment rates by 31%, yet CLS is often the easiest metric to fix:
Many sites neglect CLS despite it being low-hanging fruit for user experience improvement.
Interaction to Next Paint became a Core Web Vital on March 12, 2024, replacing First Input Delay. INP measures responsiveness more thoroughly:
As of June 2024, only 51% of websites meet all three Core Web Vitals thresholds. This represents competitive advantage for businesses that invest in optimisation, particularly in sectors where most competitors fail standards.
What Core Web Vitals research means for e-commerce businesses, development teams, and technical leaders
Core Web Vitals optimisation delivers real ROI:
Revenue Impact: Product pages with 2-second LCP convert 40-50% better than 4-5 second LCP. Average e-commerce conversion rates sit around 2-3%. This improvement can double them.
Mobile Priority: With 43.4% mobile pass rate versus 53% desktop, mobile optimisation offers greatest competitive advantage. Most traffic now comes from mobile devices.
Quick Wins: CLS improvements (31% abandonment reduction) are often achievable in weeks, not months. Low-hanging fruit delivers immediate results.
Measurement First: Use PageSpeed Insights and Chrome UX Report to establish baseline. Field data (real users) matters more than lab data (Lighthouse scores).
Build Core Web Vitals into your development workflow:
Performance Budgets: Set hard limits on LCP (< 2.5s), INP (< 200ms), and CLS (< 0.1). Monitor these in CI/CD pipeline.
Real Device Testing: DevTools mobile emulation doesn't capture real-world performance. Test on actual mid-range Android devices.
INP Requires Different Approach: March 2024 INP transition means all interactions matter, not just first input. Break long tasks, optimise event handlers, manage third-party scripts.
Continuous Monitoring: Use Real User Monitoring (RUM) to catch regressions. Core Web Vitals degrade over time as features are added.
Core Web Vitals translate to real business value:
ROI Evidence: Rakuten 24 (53.4% revenue increase), Tokopedia (3.2x ROI), Vodafone (8% sales increase) all show consistent returns.
Competitive Advantage: Only 51% of sites pass Core Web Vitals. Optimisation gives you an edge in search rankings and user experience.
SEO Impact: Slow domains rank 3.7 percentage points worse in visibility. First-page sites load in 1.65 seconds on average.
Worth the Investment: Performance optimisation generates revenue, it's not just a cost. Case studies show 2-3x returns.
LCP Improvements (hardest metric, biggest impact):
INP Improvements (replaced FID March 2024):
CLS Improvements (easiest quick wins):
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