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Core Web Vitals: A Beginner’s Guide to Interaction to Next Paint (INP)

Core Web Vitals February 4, 2025 | By Ilfusion Team

A user’s interaction with a webpage should feel smooth and natural. However, delays between a user’s input and the page visually responding can lead to frustration and disengagement.

This is where Interaction to Next Paint (INP) comes in. This Core Web Vital metric measures how quickly a page provides feedback to user interactions, giving developers a more accurate understanding of real-world responsiveness.

In this guide, we’ll break down what INP is, why it matters, and how you can improve it.

What Is Interaction to Next Paint (INP)?

Interaction to Next Paint (INP) measures the responsiveness of a webpage by evaluating how long it takes for the page to visually update after user interaction, such as clicking a button, tapping a link, or inputting text in a form.

This provides a more comprehensive understanding of the user experience and allows developers to identify and address potential issues.
Measuring INP Scores
To measure INP, a webpage is loaded and simulated user interactions are performed, timing the delay between the interaction and the page’s visual response. Some tools to use for INP analysis include:

  • Google PageSpeed Insights
  • Chrome DevTools (Performance panel)
  • Lighthouse (in Chrome DevTools or via CLI)
  • Web Vitals Extension (for real-time monitoring)
  • Google Search Console (Core Web Vitals Report)

Why Is INP Important for SEO?

A smooth and responsive website enhances user experience and engagement. Delayed visual feedback can frustrate users and lead to higher bounce rates. Google recognizes this and uses Core Web Vitals (including INP) as a ranking factor for search results.

Sites with poor responsiveness may experience a drop in organic rankings, making it essential for webmasters to optimize their INP scores.

INP Scoring Benchmarks
  • Good: INP below 200ms
  • Needs Improvement: INP between 200ms – 500ms
  • Poor: INP above 500ms

How Can You Improve Your Website’s INP Score?

With the increasing importance of INP in SEO, it’s essential to know how you can improve this metric on your website. Here are some tips:

1. Optimize JavaScript Execution

Long-running JavaScript tasks can block the main thread, delaying interaction response times. The main thread is responsible for loading and rendering content on a webpage, so any delays can significantly impact INP. Reduce script execution time by:

  • Minimizing the use of JavaScript libraries and frameworks
  • Removing unused or unnecessary scripts
  • Implementing lazy loading for non-critical scripts
2. Reducing Network Requests

Too many network requests can cause delays in page loading and interactive processes. You can reduce network requests by:

  • Combining multiple resources (e.g., images) into one file using CSS sprites
  • Caching resources to avoid repeated requests
3. Optimize Rendering Performance

Your website’s visual elements, such as images and animations, can affect INP. To optimize rendering performance:

  • Compress and resize images to reduce their file size
  • Use CSS animation or transitions instead of JavaScript for simple animations
4. Prioritize Content Above-the-Fold

Above-the-fold refers to the content visible to users without scrolling. Prioritizing critical above-the-fold content can improve user experience and interaction times. However, as with any UX design decision, this one may be more of a guideline than a rule. Some ways to prioritize content include:

  • If using large images or videos above the fold, balance their quality and file size to reduce loading times
  • Using asynchronous loading for non-critical elements
  • Placing important interactive elements, such as buttons and forms, above the fold
5. Optimize Third-Party Scripts

Third-party scripts, such as social media widgets or ad networks, can significantly affect INP. To optimize their performance:

  • Minimize the number of third-party scripts used
  • Use asynchronous loading for non-critical third-party scripts
  • Consider hosting third-party scripts on your server to reduce external dependencies
6. Regularly Audit and Test Performance

Continuous auditing and testing can help identify bottlenecks affecting INP. To ensure sustained optimization, do the following:

  • Use performance monitoring tools like Lighthouse or WebPageTest to measure INP
  • Simulate real user scenarios to test input responsiveness under various conditions
  • Regularly review code for inefficiencies and refactor as necessary

Boost Your Website with Expert SEO Services

Optimizing your website’s performance is vital not only for meeting metrics like Interaction to Next Paint (INP) but also for delivering an exceptional user experience.

At Ilfusion, we specialize in SEO and web development services that ensure your site performs at its best. From implementing advanced optimization techniques to crafting a seamless user interface, our team is dedicated to helping your business succeed online.

Contact Ilfusion today at 888-420-5115, or email us at cr******@******on.com to get started.