Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how long it takes for the largest visible element to render. It's one of Google's three Core Web Vitals and directly impacts search rankings.

Thresholds

Google recommends achieving 2.5 seconds or less for at least 75% of page visits.

What Triggers LCP

LCP tracks when the largest image, video poster, or text block renders. 73% of mobile pages have an image as their LCP element.

Why It Matters

LCP is the hardest Core Web Vital to pass - only 59% of mobile pages achieve good scores. Vodafone improved LCP by 31% and saw 8% more sales.

Common Issues

• Slow server response (TTFB)
• Render-blocking CSS/JavaScript
• Large unoptimized images
• Client-side rendering delays

Measure LCP

• Chrome DevTools Performance panel
• Lighthouse audit
• PageSpeed Insights (field data)
• Search Console Core Web Vitals report

→ Complete LCP Guide