Google recently updated its Core Web Vitals documentation, putting Interaction to Next Paint (INP) scores in the spotlight. As website owners, understanding and improving INP scores is key to enhancing user experience and search rankings. Let’s break down what INP scores mean and how you can make them better.
What’s INP?
INP measures how quickly your website responds when someone interacts with it, like clicking a button. It looks at all interactions during a visit, not just the first one.
Why INP Matters
INP is replacing First Input Delay (FID) as a Core Web Vital. It gives a more complete picture of how responsive your site is throughout a user’s visit.
INP Score Ranges
Google set these ranges for INP scores:
- Good: 200ms or less
- Needs Work: Between 200ms and 500ms
- Poor: Above 500ms
These apply to both mobile and desktop, as users expect quick responses on all devices.
How to Boost Your INP Scores
1. Make JavaScript more efficient: Reduce and delay non-essential JavaScript to speed up processing during user interactions.
2. Use better event handlers: Apply techniques like event delegation to handle user interactions more efficiently.
3. Load important content first: Make sure critical content and functions load quickly to improve perceived performance.
4. Speed up server response times: Improve backend performance to reduce delays in processing user actions.
5. Use web workers for big tasks: Move heavy computations to web workers to keep the main thread free for user interactions.
6. Load resources as needed: Use lazy loading for non-critical resources to improve responsiveness.
Checking Your INP
You can measure INP using tools like Chrome User Experience Report, PageSpeed Insights, or the Web Vitals JavaScript library. Regular checks help you spot areas for improvement and track your progress.
How It Affects SEO
While Google hasn’t said exactly how much INP will impact search rankings, it’s clear it will be important. Websites with good INP scores are likely to provide better user experiences, which can lead to improved engagement and potentially better search rankings.
Wrapping Up
As INP becomes a key part of Core Web Vitals, improving it should be a priority. By focusing on INP scores, you’re not just optimizing for search engines but also making your website more user-friendly.
The goal is to create websites that are informative, look good, and respond quickly to users. Paying attention to metrics like INP is a big step towards that goal.
Need help improving your website’s Core Web Vitals? Our team at Sojourn Digital knows technical SEO and can help you boost your INP scores and overall website performance. Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we can help.
