What Are Core Web Vitals and How Images Affect Them

The three metrics

LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) — how fast the main content loads. Usually an image.

CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) — visual stability. Images without dimensions cause jumps.

INP (Interaction to Next Paint) — responsiveness. Heavy pages slow everything.

How compression helps

Smaller images download faster → better LCP. Proper dimensions → better CLS. Lighter pages → better INP.

Action plan

1. Test your site in Google PageSpeed Insights 2. Identify the LCP element (often a hero image) 3. Compress it with OptimizeImage 4. Re-test within minutes

This is the highest-ROI performance fix for most websites.

Use the free image compressor and remove background tools when media is the bottleneck, then validate improvements with the page speed checker.