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Official statement

For Core Web Vitals, Google uses field data based on what users actually see in the search results. If AMP pages are displayed, the metrics are based on the AMP pages. If it's the mobile web pages, those are the ones the measurements rely on.
🎥 Source video

Extracted from a Google Search Central video

💬 EN 📅 23/04/2021 ✂ 15 statements
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Other statements from this video 14
  1. Une redirection 301 suffit-elle vraiment à imposer la canonique à Google ?
  2. Les liens sur forums et sites UGC ont-ils encore une valeur SEO ?
  3. Les paramètres d'URL multiples sont-ils vraiment un risque de contenu mince ?
  4. Faut-il vraiment réécrire toutes ses fiches produits pour bien ranker ?
  5. Les tests A/B en JavaScript peuvent-ils déclencher une pénalité pour cloaking ?
  6. Pourquoi le nombre de pages dans les rapports Core Web Vitals de Search Console fluctue-t-il sans raison apparente ?
  7. Pourquoi faut-il attendre 28 jours pour voir l'impact SEO de vos optimisations Core Web Vitals ?
  8. Faut-il vraiment ignorer les données de laboratoire pour optimiser ses Core Web Vitals ?
  9. Faut-il vraiment éviter de modifier fréquemment son site pour ne pas perdre son classement ?
  10. Google réécrit-il vos balises title et meta description à chaque requête ?
  11. Faut-il encore rediriger HTTP vers HTTPS si ce n'est pas déjà fait ?
  12. Pourquoi Google crawle-t-il vos images sans extension deux fois avant de les indexer ?
  13. Un site d'une seule page peut-il vraiment se classer dans Google ?
  14. Pourquoi la canonicalisation peut-elle détruire votre visibilité sur les requêtes de longue traîne ?
📅
Official statement from (5 years ago)
TL;DR

Google calculates Core Web Vitals solely based on field data corresponding to the pages that are actually served in the search results. If your AMP pages are displayed in the mobile SERPs, it is these versions that determine your CWV scores, not your standard web pages. This distinction radically changes the optimization strategy: optimizing the wrong version does nothing for your ranking.

What you need to understand

Why Does Google Talk About 'Field Data'? <\/h3>

Field data reflects the actual user experience, measured through the Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX)<\/strong>. Unlike lab tests (Lighthouse, PageSpeed Insights in 'lab' mode), these metrics capture what your visitors actually experience: unstable 3G connections, low-end devices, varied browsing contexts.<\/p>

The crucial point here: Google does not rely on a theoretical average. It examines which version of your page<\/strong> users actually loaded from the search results. If an AMP page is displayed, the CWV are calculated based on that AMP version, period.<\/p>

What Difference Does It Make Between AMP and Standard Mobile Web? <\/h3>

AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages)<\/strong> are designed to be ultra-fast: clean HTML, limited JavaScript, resources preloaded by Google's cache. Their CWV scores are generally better than those of standard mobile pages. But if you serve standard mobile web in the SERPs, it's that version—often heavier and richer in scripts—that will be evaluated.<\/p>

Practically? You can have an AMP page with excellent CWV, but if Google displays your mobile web version to users, your CWV scores rely on that version<\/strong>. The opposite is also true: a slow mobile page will not penalize your CWV if only the AMP version is indexed and served.<\/p>

How Can I Know Which Version Google Uses for My CWV? <\/h3>

First step: check in Search Console<\/strong> which URLs are indexed. If you have implemented AMP with the rel="amphtml"<\/code> tag, Google may choose to serve either version depending on the context. Historically, AMP was preferred in the 'Top Stories' carousels, but since the end of that exclusivity, the choice depends on multiple signals.<\/p>

Then, check the Core Web Vitals report<\/strong> in Search Console. The listed URLs correspond to the pages actually assessed. If you see AMP URLs, those are the versions that matter. If they are your standard canonical URLs, the same applies. No mystery—but you need to fact-check<\/strong>, not assume.<\/p>

  • CWV rely on CrUX data<\/strong>, which means on the actual experience of Chrome users.<\/li>
  • The version served in the SERPs determines the metrics<\/strong>: AMP if AMP displayed, mobile web if mobile web displayed.<\/li>
  • No 'average' between versions<\/strong>: Google does not mix AMP and non-AMP scores for the same content.<\/li>
  • Always check in Search Console<\/strong> which URLs are assessed for CWV.<\/li>
  • Google's gradual abandonment of the AMP cache<\/strong> complicates matters: some AMP pages are now served from the origin, with different loading times.<\/li><\/ul>

SEO Expert opinion

Is This Statement Consistent with Observed Practices on the Ground? <\/h3>

Absolutely. The audits I've been conducting for years confirm this mechanism. I've seen sites with excellent Lighthouse scores in 'lab' demonstrate catastrophic CWV in production<\/strong> because the real conditions (network latency, limited mobile CPU) have nothing to do with a test on fiber desktop. Google is not lying here: only the measured user experience matters.<\/p>

The classic trap? Optimizing your desktop or mobile page under ideal conditions, only to find that the neglected AMP version is dragging down your CWV scores<\/strong> because it is still being served to part of the traffic. Or the opposite: refining AMP when Google has switched to the canonical mobile web. Let's be honest: many SEOs do not check which version is actually being evaluated.<\/p>

What Nuances Should Be Added to This Claim? <\/h3>

First nuance: CrUX has a minimum traffic threshold<\/strong>. If your page does not have enough Chrome visitors over 28 rolling days, it does not appear in CrUX, so there are no CWV data at the URL level. Google then reverts to the origin level (entire domain), which dilutes the real performance of a specific page. [To be verified]<\/strong> for sites with low or highly segmented traffic.<\/p>

Second point: the gradual transition to 'signed exchange' (SXG)<\/strong> for AMP changes the game. With SXG, the AMP page can be served from your domain while benefiting from Google's preloading. CWV metrics then reflect a mix between cache and origin, depending on the browser and context. This is not a general rule—not everyone has migrated to SXG<\/strong>—but it adds a layer of complexity.<\/p>

In Which Cases Does This Rule Not Apply or Cause Issues? <\/h3>

If you have abandoned AMP or never implemented it, this distinction has no impact: you only have one mobile version, hence a single source of CWV data. No double tracking to manage. The problem mainly arises for hybrid sites<\/strong> that maintain AMP and mobile web in parallel, without a clear strategy on which version to prioritize.<\/p>

Another edge case: sites with client-side rendering (SPA, heavy JavaScript)<\/strong>. Even if Google displays your canonical URL in the SERPs, the user experience measured by CrUX can be disastrous if FCP (First Contentful Paint) or LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) is delayed by poorly optimized frameworks. Here, Mueller's statement remains valid, but it masks a deeper architectural problem. [To be verified]<\/strong>: does Google penalize heavy SPAs more via CWV, or does it apply the same treatment? Public data is lacking to make a definitive call.<\/p>

Warning: if you serve different content between AMP and mobile web (for example, a simplified AMP version without certain features), your CWV may be excellent on AMP but not reflect the actual experience<\/strong> you want to provide. Optimizing for metrics at the expense of UX remains a classic trap.<\/div>

Practical impact and recommendations

What Concrete Steps Should Be Taken To Align CWV With Served Version? <\/h3>

First action: audit Search Console<\/strong> to identify which URLs are listed in the Core Web Vitals report. If you see a mix of AMP and canonical URLs, you have a consistency problem. Google is evidently serving both versions based on context, which fragments your optimization efforts.<\/p>

Next, test both versions with PageSpeed Insights in 'field data' mode<\/strong>. Don’t rely solely on 'lab' scores (Lighthouse): they do not reflect real conditions. If your CrUX data shows significant discrepancies between AMP and mobile web, that’s a signal to prioritize one or disable the other. Keeping two mediocre versions does nothing.<\/p>

What Mistakes Should Be Avoided in Managing AMP vs Mobile Web? <\/h3>

Classic mistake: leaving an outdated AMP implementation hanging<\/strong>. Many sites launched AMP between 2016-2018 to leverage the Top Stories carousel, then abandoned it editorially without removing the rel="amphtml"<\/code> tags. Result: zombie AMP pages, unmanaged, with catastrophic CWV continue to be served sporadically.<\/p>

Another pitfall: optimizing only the mobile web while assuming that AMP is 'automatically fast'. Wrong. A poorly coded AMP page (unoptimized images, too many amp-script<\/code> components, heavy custom fonts) can have deplorable LCP<\/strong>. The AMP framework imposes limits, but guarantees nothing if you do not follow best practices.<\/p>

How Can I Check That My Site is Compliant and Well Configured? <\/h3>

Use Google's AMP Test tool<\/strong> to validate your AMP pages: markup errors, outdated components, blocked resources. Then, compare CrUX data (via PageSpeed Insights or BigQuery) between your AMP and canonical URLs. If the performance gap is marginal, disabling AMP simplifies your tech stack without notable SEO loss.<\/p>

Also verify your canonical and amphtml tags<\/strong>: they should point to each other consistently. A pointing error may confuse Google regarding which version to index and serve. Finally, monitor the 'Page Experience' reports<\/strong> in Search Console: if AMP URLs appear there while you thought you had disabled them, it indicates that residual traces remain (sitemaps, internal links, lingering tags).<\/p>

  • Audit the Core Web Vitals report in Search Console to identify the evaluated URLs (AMP or canonical).<\/li>
  • Compare CrUX field data between AMP and mobile web versions via PageSpeed Insights.<\/li>
  • Properly disable AMP if performance gains are negligible (removing amphtml tags, 301 redirect, updating sitemaps).<\/li>
  • Prioritize optimizing the version actually served in the SERPs, not the one you 'think' is served.<\/li>
  • Monitor CrUX changes monthly: user behaviors change, metrics do too.<\/li>
  • Regularly test with field tools (WebPageTest under real mobile conditions, CrUX API) to avoid surprises.<\/li><\/ul>
    In summary: Core Web Vitals do not measure a theoretical abstraction, but the real user experience on the page version they load from Google. If you serve AMP, optimize the AMP. If you serve mobile web, optimize the mobile web. Do not waste resources on the wrong target. For complex sites with multiple versions (AMP, mobile web, desktop), this management can quickly become a technical headache. If you lack the time or internal expertise to precisely diagnose which version impacts your CWV and how to optimize it effectively, engaging a specialized SEO agency in web performance can prove a worthwhile investment to avoid costly errors and accelerate ranking gains.<\/div>

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Google utilise-t-il des données de laboratoire pour les Core Web Vitals dans le classement ?
Non. Google se base exclusivement sur les données de terrain (CrUX) pour évaluer les CWV dans le ranking. Les scores Lighthouse ou PageSpeed Insights en mode « lab » servent au diagnostic, pas au classement.
Si j'ai des pages AMP et mobile web, laquelle compte pour mes CWV ?
Celle que Google sert effectivement dans les résultats de recherche. Si les utilisateurs chargent votre page AMP, ce sont ses métriques qui comptent. Si c'est le mobile web, idem. Vérifiez dans la Search Console quels URLs sont listés dans le rapport CWV.
Puis-je avoir de bons scores CWV en lab mais mauvais en field ?
Absolument. Les tests en laboratoire simulent des conditions idéales (connexion rapide, matériel récent). Les données de terrain reflètent la réalité : 3G, smartphones bas de gamme, latence réseau. C'est pourquoi seul le field compte pour le ranking.
Dois-je encore investir dans AMP pour améliorer mes Core Web Vitals ?
Pas nécessairement. Depuis la fin de l'exclusivité AMP pour Top Stories, l'avantage SEO s'est réduit. Si votre mobile web atteint de bons CWV sans AMP, maintenir deux versions complique inutilement votre stack. Auditez les performances réelles avant de décider.
Comment savoir si mes données CrUX sont au niveau URL ou origine ?
Dans PageSpeed Insights ou la Search Console, regardez si les métriques affichent « URL » ou « Origine ». Si votre page manque de trafic Chrome sur 28 jours, CrUX remonte au niveau domaine, ce qui dilue les performances spécifiques d'une page donnée.

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