Improve Your Webpage Performance Through Optimized Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) Measurement

What is Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)?

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is an industry-standard metric designed to measure visual stability in websites and applications. It measures the "visual stability" of a page, or how often its content shifts around when the page loads. It's particularly useful for tracking how complex webpages render differently for different users, since shifts in layout can cause user confusion and frustration.

The metric is calculated by measuring the amount of "layout instability" on the page. This is done by tallying up all of the movement that occurs when elements on a page load or move around as the page renders. If there is no instability, then the CLS score is 0. But if there is a significant amount of shifting, then the score will be higher.

Some of the most common causes of poor CLS scores are slow loading times, images that don't resize properly, dynamic content that is late to load or third-party scripts that aren't optimized for the page.

Why is Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) Important?

CLS is important because it gives developers and designers an objective measure of page performance and stability. A poor CLS score indicates that a page is not providing a good user experience, which can lead to lost customers and decreased conversions.

Moreover, CLS is now becoming an important factor in website ranking on search engines. Google has announced that CLS is now a ranking signal, meaning websites with poor CLS scores may be at a disadvantage when it comes to being found in search results.

How to Improve Your CLS Score

Improving your CLS score is a matter of optimizing the page for stability. This means minimizing the amount of shifting that occurs when elements load and ensuring they load quickly. Here are some tips for optimizing your page for stability:

• Defer offscreen images and videos so they don't block the initial page load.
• Preload assets that appear above the fold so they don't delay page rendering.
• Provide adequate space for elements like ads to prevent them from pushing content around.
• Optimize images and other media to reduce their file sizes and improve loading times.
• Avoid using third-party scripts, as they can add unpredictability to page loads

By following these tips, you can help ensure your page provides a smooth, stable experience for your users.