Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is a performance metric that measures how much a website’s layout unexpectedly moves while loading. It plays a significant role in ranking your website on search engines.
A high CLS score can frustrate site visitors and cause them to leave without checking your content or services.
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Understanding Cumulative Layout Shift
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures how much a website’s layout unexpectedly shifts while it’s still loading. These sudden shifts can disrupt user experience and lead to frustration.
For example, when you visit a website, have you ever experienced reading a line or text only for it to move suddenly because an image or ad popped above it? A poor CLS causes that.
Why Does CLS Matter?
In the vast digital marketing world, your website is like your home. You want it to feel welcoming and easy to navigate, and users should be satisfied. The only thing that can cause these goals to be lost is a high CLS score.
Here’s why CLS matters:
User Experience
No matter how awesome your website looks, a page with a high CLS score can frustrate users. This leads to higher bounce rates and fewer conversions.
Customer Trust
Trust is key to any business. Layout shifts caused by high CLS can make your site look unprofessional and untrustworthy, driving potential customers away. A stable website helps build confidence and keeps visitors coming back.
SEO Ranking
Because CLS is one of Google’s Core Web Vitals, it’s part of the ranking algorithm. Poor CLS can push you down the rankings and lead to lower search results for your site.
What Causes High CLS?
There are different reasons why your website may have a high CLS score. Let’s break it down:
Unoptimized Images
When website images load without a defined size, they can push other elements around. Imagine a big photo suddenly popping up while scrolling through a website, pushing other layouts aside.
Slow Loading Widgets or Ads
Sometimes, third-party widgets from social media or ads can load slower than the rest of the page, creating an unexpected shift in the page layout.
Dynamic Content
Dynamic content like pop-ups or banners appear suddenly, which can cause the page to jump and shift around, disturbing the user experience.
Fonts Loading Late
Another known reason for causing layout shifts is custom fonts that load after the text, which causes the text to change its size and shape.
Tools to Measure CLS
You need to measure your CLS score to keep your website running smoothly without disturbing users. Here are some of the most popular tools you can use:
- Google Lighthouse: It can help analyze your site’s performance and give detailed insights about layout shifts.
- Google PageSpeed Insights: This tool analyzes your website’s CLS score and makes other recommendations for improving it.
- Chrome DevTools: Provides different tools to improve your CLS score and stabilize your website.
Strategies to Improve Cumulative Layout Shift
Now that you already have an idea of what CLS is about and what causes it, here are some well-known ways to improve your website’s CLS score:
Preload Your Fonts
Some fonts are too tricky. The best thing to do is use a font display by swapping your CSS to ensure the text appears with a fallback font until the custom font loads. Make sure the custom and fallback fonts are the same size.
Reserve Space For Ads
Reserve a designated space for your website’s ads or widgets. You can contain them in a fixed dimension so they can have their designated spot even if the ad hasn’t loaded yet.
Set Defined Image Dimensions
Ensure all images have a defined width and height in your HTML or CSS. This can help your browser know how much space to allocate for them, preventing shifts in layout.
Avoid Inserting Content Above the Fold
If possible, don’t set up banners or other content to appear at the top of the page after loading to avoid shifting the layout. Make sure your banners don’t push anything down when loaded.
Optimize Animations
If you have animations, keep them smooth and predictable. Don’t use animations that change their size or shift elements unexpectedly.
The Impact of CLS on SEO
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) keeps your website visitors engaged.
For instance, let’s say you’re selling books; if the Order Now button keeps moving around because of layout shifts, it could frustrate potential buyers. They might leave your site and look for another competitor.
That’s why keeping a low CLS score is essential. Here’s how improving CLS can boost your website’s SEO:
Better Rankings
Google rewards websites that provide a smooth and satisfying experience to all users. The happier your visitors are when leaving your site, the better your search engine ranking will be.
Increased Conversions
Google rewards websites that provide a smooth and satisfying experience to all users. The happier your visitors are when leaving your site, the better your search engine ranking will be.
Higher Engagement
The smoother your website, the longer visitors stay on it. Websites with stable layouts tend to engage more with visitors.
Customer Loyalty
Customers who are happy and satisfied with your website will keep returning, earning you loyal customers and higher revenue.
Conclusion
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) may sound too techy for those who don’t know it, but in reality, it’s just about ensuring your website is stable and user-friendly. A website that keeps jumping around tends to drive potential customers, but a stable one keeps them engaged and ready to explore all your services.
By understanding CLS and improving it, your website can rank high on Google and leave your visitors happy and satisfied.
If you’re a small business owner and need help to improve your CLS or your website’s performance, Lead Nicely can help. Our experts use state-of-the-art techniques to optimize your website and rank it higher in the search results.
