Hello @dleakey ,
A "INP issue: longer than 200ms (mobile)" in Google Search Console indicates that your website's Interaction to Next Paint (INP) is exceeding the recommended threshold of 200 milliseconds specifically on mobile devices. INP reflects how long it takes for your website to respond to a user's first interaction, such as a tap or click. Here's how you can tackle this issue:
Understanding INP:
INP measures the time between a user's first interaction with your page (e.g., tapping a button) and the browser rendering a visual response (e.g., highlighting the button). A high INP signifies a delay in responsiveness, leading to a frustrating user experience on mobile devices.
Causes of High INP:
Several factors can contribute to a high INP:
- Large JavaScript Bundles: Complex JavaScript code can block the main thread, delaying responsiveness.
- Excessive DOM Manipulation: Frequent changes to the Document Object Model (DOM) can overload the browser and slow down rendering.
- Network Latency: Slow server response times or a poor internet connection can increase INP.
- Render-Blocking Resources: Resources like large images or stylesheets that load before the critical rendering path can delay responsiveness.
Solutions for Lowering INP:
- Optimize Javascript: Minify and compress JavaScript code to reduce file size. Consider code splitting for large applications to load only essential code initially.
- Reduce DOM Manipulation: Minimize unnecessary DOM operations like frequent element creation or removal.
- Optimize Image Delivery: Use efficient image formats (like WebP), optimize image sizes, and consider lazy loading for non-critical images below the fold.
- Preload Critical Resources: Preload critical resources like fonts or critical CSS to improve initial rendering speed.
- Leverage Browser Caching: Enable browser caching for static assets like images and JavaScript files to reduce repeat downloads.
- Minify and Defer CSS: Defer non-critical CSS to minimize render-blocking impacts.
- Reduce Third-Party Scripts: Minimize third-party scripts that can add latency and bloat the page.
Testing and Monitoring:
- Use Browser Developer Tools: Analyze INP performance using browser developer tools like Chrome DevTools.
- Test on Different Devices: Test your website's INP on various mobile devices to identify device-specific issues.
- Google PageSpeed Insights: Utilize Google PageSpeed Insights to measure INP and receive specific recommendations for improvement.
Additional Tips:
- Consider a Content Delivery Network (CDN): A CDN can improve website performance by delivering content from geographically distributed servers, reducing latency for mobile users.
- Prioritize Mobile Optimization: Mobile-first indexing by search engines emphasizes the importance of optimizing your website for mobile devices, including INP.
By implementing these solutions and monitoring your INP performance, you can create a more responsive and user-friendly mobile experience, potentially leading to better SEO rankings and higher user engagement.
