LCP Image Optimization automatically identifies and optimizes the most important images on your website’s Cornerstone Pages. This feature analyzes your Cornerstone Pages, identifies their primary images (if applicable), and applies technical optimizations to make them load faster for your visitors.
LCP Image Optimization is available on both the free and paid Jetpack Boost plans. The free plan allows optimization for one Cornerstone Page, while the Premium plan supports up to ten.
What is Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)?
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is a Core Web Vitals metric that measures how long it takes for the largest visible content element—like a large image or headline—to fully load in a visitor’s browser.
A fast LCP gives the impression that your site is quick and responsive. A slow LCP, even if other elements load quickly, can make your site feel slow to users.
Why LCP Matters for Your Website
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is a Core Web Vitals metric that measures how long it takes for the largest visible content element to load on your webpage.
- Visitors judge site speed based on how quickly the main content appears, not when the entire page finishes loading.
- A slow LCP makes your site feel sluggish, even if other elements load fast.
- A fast LCP makes your site feel professional and responsive.
Search Engine Optimization
- Since LCP is a Core Web Vital, Google uses LCP as a ranking factor in search results.
- Websites with good LCP scores (under 2.5 seconds) rank higher than slower competitors.
- Poor LCP scores can negatively impact your organic search visibility.
What makes LCP slow?
Common causes of poor LCP performance include:
- Large, unoptimized images.
- Images without proper loading prioritization.
- Missing responsive image techniques.
- Slow server response times.
- Render-blocking resources.
What is LCP Image Optimization?
LCP Image Optimization is a Jetpack Boost feature that identifies the most important visual elements on your key pages and applies performance enhancements to help them load faster.
It focuses on the largest image or background image visible in the browser window when a page loads—known as the LCP element. Optimizing this element can significantly improve your Core Web Vitals scores.
How LCP Image Optimization Works
Automatic Page Analysis
The feature examines your Cornerstone Pages to identify:
- The largest visual element that appears in the viewport.
- If it’s a standard or background image.
- The optimal loading strategy for each device type (mobile/desktop).
Technical Optimizations Applied
For Image Elements:
- Optimizes the LCP image through Jetpack’s Site Accelerator.
- Sets
fetchpriority="high"to prioritize loading. - Applies
loading="eager"to prevent lazy loading delays. - Generates responsive images with
srcsetandsizesattributes. - Includes high-DPI display support.
For Background Image Elements:
- Optimizes the LCP background image through Jetpack’s Site Accelerator.
- Adds preload links in the document head.
- Implements responsive background images using CSS
image-set(). - Applies device-specific media queries.
- Uses CSS overrides to ensure optimal loading.
Understanding statuses
Pending Analysis
The system is currently analyzing your pages. This typically takes a few minutes as it examines each page on both mobile and desktop.
Analysis Complete
Your LCP elements have been identified and optimizations are now active. You should see performance improvements in testing tools.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If Jetpack Boost wasn’t able to optimize some of your pages, it may be due to issues like page accessibility, slow loading, or layout complexity.
You can find a full list of known issues and solutions here: Troubleshooting LCP Image Optimization in Jetpack Boost.
Still Need Help?
Please contact support. We’re happy to advise.
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