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Core Web Vitals

What Is LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)?

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how long it takes for the largest visible content element (usually a hero image, video, or large text block) to render on screen. Google's threshold is under 2.0 seconds for a 'good' score (lowered from 2.5s after the March 2026 update).

Why LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) matters for SEO

LCP is the primary loading speed metric in Core Web Vitals. A slow LCP means users see a blank or partially loaded page for too long, increasing bounce rate. Since the March 2026 update, LCP is scored site-wide, not per page.

Pro tip on LCP (Largest Contentful Paint)

Optimize the largest element on the page (usually a hero image). Use WebP/AVIF format, set width/height attributes, preload critical images. Reduce server response time (TTFB under 500ms). Minimize render-blocking CSS and JavaScript.

Related terms

Core Web VitalsLCP is one of three Core Web Vitals metricsFCPFCP measures the first paint; LCP measures the largest paintPage SpeedLCP is the most impactful page speed metric for user experience

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