The Impact of CLS on User Experience and Search Rankings

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) significantly impacts both user experience and search rankings by measuring the visual stability of a webpage. CLS quantifies unexpected layout shifts that occur while a page is loading, which can confuse and frustrate users if elements move unpredictably, causing misclicks or loss of reading position.

From a user experience perspective, a high CLS score leads to a poor, disruptive browsing experience. Users encountering shifting content are more likely to leave the site prematurely, reducing engagement and increasing bounce rates. Even if other performance metrics like loading speed (LCP) and interactivity (INP) are good, a high CLS can still degrade the overall experience.

Regarding search rankings, CLS is one of Google's Core Web Vitals and has been a ranking factor since May 2021. Google prioritizes sites that provide a smooth, stable visual experience, so a high CLS can negatively affect a website’s position in search results. Conversely, optimizing CLS to be below the recommended threshold (0.1 or less) can improve user satisfaction and potentially boost rankings.

In summary, minimizing CLS is crucial for delivering a seamless user experience and maintaining or improving search engine visibility. It is considered one of the most important Core Web Vitals because visual stability is highly noticeable and directly influences user interaction and perception of site quality.