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Lab data vs. field data
When it comes to performance, the first question we hear is: “what’s my site’s PageSpeed score?”. The score is useful as a thermometer, but it’s a lab data, a simulation under controlled conditions. Google ranks with field data: the real experience of your users, collected in CrUX (Chrome User Experience Report).
Lighthouse runs in a simulated environment. The Core Web Vitals that count for ranking come from real users, on varied devices and networks. A site can score 100 in the lab and fail in the field, and vice versa.
The three metrics that matter
- ·LCP (Largest Contentful Paint). When the main content appears. Target: < 2.5s.
- ·INP (Interaction to Next Paint), how fast the page responds to interactions. Target: < 200ms.
- ·CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift), visual stability. Target: < 0.1.
Don’t optimize for the score. Optimize for the real user, the score follows.
How we measure at WebOption
We combine field data from Search Console and CrUX with real profiling (queries, plugins, server). From there we prioritize fixes by impact, caching, image optimization, render-blocking elimination and server tuning, and validate with real before-and-after data. See our page on Performance & Security.
Want to know where your site stands today? Request a free Core Web Vitals diagnosis.
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