Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) how to fix it for better SEO Blog post featured image

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): How to Fix It for Better SEO

Let's start building momentum now... Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is one of the most critical web performance metrics you need to monitor for a seamless user experience. But what is CLS, and why should it matter to you as a business owner? Simply put, CLS measures how much a webpage's layout unexpectedly shifts during the loading process. The more movement there is, the worse the experience for users, especially when content shifts around unexpectedly. This can lead to frustration and an overall negative impression of your site. The most important thing to remember is that CLS can directly impact your SEO rankings, making it essential to fix this issue for better visibility and traffic.

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is considered one of Google's Core Web Vitals, which means it plays a major role in your website's search engine ranking. If users encounter visual instability while browsing your site, Google might penalize your page, pushing it lower in search results. So, how can you fix CLS and improve your SEO performance?

Why CLS Matters for SEO

As a Core Web Vital, CLS impacts the user experience (UX) directly. Google wants to ensure that users have the best possible experience on any given site, and visual stability is a significant part of that. A page with excessive CLS can make your content jump around, leading to frustration, which causes users to leave quickly—this is known as a high bounce rate. A higher bounce rate signals to Google that users aren’t finding what they need or that the experience isn't up to standard. As a result, Google may downgrade your page’s search ranking. This is why fixing CLS can lead to higher engagement and better search visibility.

How to Fix Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

Fortunately, improving your CLS score is not as difficult as it seems. By following a few best practices, you can significantly reduce visual instability on your site and improve your SEO ranking:

  • Set Image Dimensions: Always specify the width and height attributes for all images on your page. This ensures the browser knows how much space to reserve for each image before it loads, preventing content from shifting once the image appears.
  • Reserve Space for Ads: Ads can often be the culprit behind CLS. If you’re running ads, make sure to allocate a fixed space for them in your layout. This stops the page from jumping around when the ad loads.
  • Prioritize Critical CSS: Load essential CSS styles first. Critical CSS is the minimum styling required to render the page above the fold (the portion of the page that is visible before scrolling). By prioritizing this CSS, you reduce layout shifts as the page renders.
  • Use Font-Display: Swap: Fonts can also cause layout shifts. By using the font-display: swap property, you allow the browser to display a fallback font until the primary font is fully loaded, avoiding layout shifts during font loading.
  • Avoid Dynamic Content Insertion: Adding new content above existing content without user interaction can cause CLS. Only add content dynamically below the fold or in areas where it won’t affect the overall layout.
  • Lazy Loading: Implement lazy loading for images and videos. This ensures that media files are only loaded as they become visible on the screen, reducing the page’s initial load time and potential layout shifts.
  • Use Transitions and Animations: When making visual changes on your page, consider adding subtle transitions or animations. This helps users understand that content is being updated, providing a smooth, predictable experience.

Tools to Measure CLS

Before you can fix CLS, you need to measure it. Luckily, there are tools available that make this easy:

  • Google PageSpeed Insights: This tool provides a detailed CLS score for your page and highlights elements causing layout shifts. It also offers actionable suggestions to help you improve your score.
  • Developer Tools in Your Browser: Most modern browsers offer built-in developer tools that allow you to inspect and analyze CLS. These tools help you pinpoint the problem areas and work on a solution.

Start Fixing CLS Today for Better SEO!

By addressing CLS, you're not just improving your site’s performance for users—you're also boosting your SEO potential. A page with a low CLS score ensures a smooth, enjoyable browsing experience, leading to better engagement, lower bounce rates, and higher rankings in Google’s search results.

As a business owner, you want to ensure that your website is as optimized as possible. Addressing CLS is just one of the many steps you can take to improve your site’s overall performance. At BlogCog, we offer a range of services to help businesses like yours boost traffic with AI-driven blogs that are optimized for SEO. Explore our services to see how we can help you grow your business.

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