Google Search Console Update: URL-level Data Added to The Core Web Vitals Report
Last updated on Dec 23rd, 2022 | 4 min
The Core Web Vitals report in Google Search Console now shows URL-level data in the example URLs.
Google recently announced the latest update, which is expected to present all users with more granular data:
The report's updated version will allow you to identify the URLs that prevent your site from achieving "Good" scores.
Here's everything you need to know about the improvements and how to read your reports to optimize site performance.
Core Web Vitals Report: What's New?
Before the latest update, Search Console's Core Web Vitals report showed aggregated data based on a group of URLs:
Google will continue to use the URL grouping method. However, now you can go even deeper.
Upon clicking on a URL group, a new panel on the right side will automatically pop up:
The image above is an example of a person investigating their CLS score. As you can see, the report still provides an overall score for the entire group.
With the update, however, you can now find the specific URLs that bring your score down and need special attention.
On the flip side, you can also quickly pinpoint the URLs that are doing "good" and skip them when you set about fixing Largest Contentful Paint, optimizing First Input Delay, and improving Cumulative Layout Shift issues.
Although it might seem like a minor update, going more granular will save you a ton of time. You no longer need to go through all URLs in a group and look for issues that might not even exist.
Extra Clarifications from Google's Support Page
Along with the new report, Google updated the respective support page as well.
Here are a few excerpts that come in useful:
On the structure of the Core Web Vitals report:
"The Core Web Vitals report shows URL performance grouped by status (Poor, Need improvement, Good), metric type (CLS, FID, LCP), and URL group (groups of similar web pages).
The report is based on three metrics as measured by actual user data: LCP, FID, and CLS. Once a URL has a threshold amount* of data for any metric, the URL group's status is its most poorly performing metric. So, for example, if a URL group has poor CLS but good FID, the URL status is "poor."
*Google does not define the amount of data that separates sufficient and insufficient data for reporting.
On seeing "No data available":
"If you see a "No data available" screen, it means either that your property is new in Search Console or that there is not enough data available in the CrUX report to provide meaningful information for the chosen device type (desktop or mobile)."
On a group's status:
"The LCP, FID, and CLS status applies to the entire group. Some outlier URLs* might have better or worse values on some visits, but 75% of visits to all URLs in the group experienced the group status shown."
*Outlier URLs are the ones that pass the CWV assessment.
On the difference between PageSpeed Insights and Core Web Vitals:
"You can click a URL in the group to run a PageSpeed Insights test against that URL. However, it's useful to understand a few important differences between PageSpeed Insights and Core Web Vitals information:
- Core Web Vitals combines data and status into URL groups; PageSpeed Insights generally shows data for individual URLs (unless the URL doesn't have enough information by itself). The statistics for a specific URL in PageSpeed Insights might not match the group results in Core Web Vitals because an individual URL might be an outlier in its group.
- Core Web Vitals URLs include URL parameters when distinguishing the page; PageSpeed Insights strips all parameter data from the URL and then assigns all results to the bare URL."
On URL groups:
"URLs in the report are grouped into pages that have a similar user experience. Metrics and status are assigned at the group level. (An individual URL might differ from its group for a specific metric.) It is assumed that these URLs will have a common framework*, and the reasons for poor behavior of the group will likely be caused by the same underlying reasons.
A group or URL must have a minimum amount of data to appear in the report."
*Further explanation of Google's URL grouping:
Passing Your Core Web Vitals
If you’re reading this article it means that you understand that identifying Core Web Vitals issues via Google Search Console's report (or any other tool) is the first and easier step.
Passing your Core Web Vitals is what matters, and although challenging, it's the step that you would reap the most benefits from:
Yahoo's stats might get you questioning if it's at all possible to pass your Core Web Vitals without abundant resources.
Well, it is possible!
Here are a few examples of websites that pass their Core Web Vitals using a single web performance optimization tool:
NitroPack's a fully automated all-in-one page speed solution that will allow you to pass your CWV, achieve lightning-fast load times, and improve your site's UX.
And all of that - without writing a single line of code!
But you don't have to take my or our word for granted. Test your website with NitroPack and see the results for yourself.
