What is LCP?
Largest Contentful Paint
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how long it takes for the main content of a page to load. Google target: under 2.5 seconds.
- LCP
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how long it takes for the main content of a page to load. Google target: under 2.5 seconds. Free strategy call.
Why LCP matters
Common causes of slow LCP: unoptimized images, render-blocking CSS/JS, slow server response, fonts blocking render. Fix by: compressing images, lazy loading, preloading hero image.
Common mistakes with LCP
- 1
Treating AI Overviews like the old SERP. As of 2026, AI Overviews appear on 47% of US searches and absorb 25-40% of click volume. The play is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), not just rankings.
- 2
Chasing high-volume head terms instead of buyer-intent long-tail. A 200/month query with commercial intent beats a 20K/month informational query.
- 3
Ignoring schema. Structured data is the cheapest way to claim rich results, FAQ snippets, and AI Overview citations.
How to improve LCP
Optimize for AI Overview citation: clear first 50 words, structured FAQ schema, named-entity rich content.
Audit page-by-page intent match. Reassign pages where search intent has shifted to competitor formats.
Build internal linking around topical clusters: hub pages link to spoke pages, spokes link to hub and to each other.
Common questions about LCP
What is LCP?▾
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Related terms
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