Do You Really Need to Optimize Core Web Vitals to Appear in Google Discover?

John Mueller provided an important clarification regarding eligibility criteria for Google Discover. Contrary to popular belief, Core Web Vitals are not a prerequisite for appearing in this recommendation feed.

This statement challenges the importance of Page Experience in the specific context of Discover. While Google has heavily communicated about these metrics for traditional organic rankings, their role appears to be much more limited for Discover eligibility.

Concretely, this means that a site with average or poor Core Web Vitals scores can absolutely be present in Discover, provided it meets the other selection criteria.

• Core Web Vitals do not block access to Discover
• Page Experience is not a relevance criterion for this channel
• Other factors are determining for Discover eligibility
• Content quality and engagement remain priorities

This position from Google is consistent with field observations. Many sites with average technical performance regularly appear in Discover, while some technically perfect sites are sometimes absent.

Discover operates according to a different logic than traditional organic ranking. It primarily relies on topical relevance, user engagement, content freshness, and personalized interest signals. Core Web Vitals may influence the post-click experience, but not the initial selection.

The important nuance is that Google uses distinct algorithms for different channels. Optimizing for Discover requires a specific approach centered on content and engagement rather than pure technical performance.

Following this clarification, here's how to adjust your strategy to maximize your presence in Google Discover:

• Focus on editorial quality and producing engaging content rather than exclusive technical optimization
• Prioritize high-quality, large images (minimum 1200px width) that catch the eye in Discover
• Work on content freshness with regular publications on trending topics in your niche
• Optimize your titles for emotion and curiosity without falling into clickbait
• Activate and monitor Discover performance in Search Console to identify what works
• Don't neglect Core Web Vitals though: they remain essential for traditional SEO and user experience
• Build strong topical authority on specific subjects rather than general coverage
• Analyze engagement patterns (reading time, interactions) on your Discover content