Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is a metric that measures the stability of a page’s appearance when it loads. If page elements shift abruptly after users begin to interact, their experience may be poor. For example, when text or buttons shift when users are about to click something, this can lead to click errors and frustration. To avoid this problem, several strategies can be implemente to maintain a stable and user-friendly experience.
Identify images and videos
One of the main causes of CLS is images and austria phone number data videos that are loade without predefine dimensions. If the dimensions are not set, the browser must wait until the file is fully loade to know its final size, which can cause other elements to shift. To fix this:
- Always specify width and height attributes on images and videos in HTML so that the browser can reserve the appropriate space before downloading the file.
- When using CSS, use aspect ratios to keep elements proportional. For example:
- Use placeholders or skeleton loading for fixed installation of communications to maintain a stable page presentation while images or videos are still loading.
Use font rendering strategies
Slowly loading fonts can cause a “flash of invisible text” (FOIT) or “flash of careless text” (FOUT), where text changes style after the page loads, causing other elements to shift. To fix this:
- Use the font swap; CSS property to colombia business directory make the browser immediately display text with a fallback font before the main font is loade. Example:
- Use system fonts where possible to avoid delays when loading custom fonts.
- Preload the main font with the following tags in the <head> to ensure the font is loade early:
Avoid dynamic content injection
Dynamically adding elements after the page loads, such as ads, notifications, or third-party widgets, can cause other elements to change suddenly. This is one of the main causes of CLS, which is often seen on news or e-commerce sites. To avoid this problem:
- Spare space for loading elements – if ads or banners will appear in the center of the page, allocate free space with a minimum height so that the layout does not change suddenly.
- Use smooth transition animations – If you need to display content dynamically, use CSS to provide a smoother transition effect.
- Make sure new elements don’t replace existing elements – when displaying notification messages or popups, place them outside the main layout flow (e.g. with position: fixe;).
Translation load can affect the stability of the page layout and visual elements. Therefore, it is important to choose a service that supports dynamic translation , such as Linguise , which can be easily configure. With its advance caching system, Linguise can translate content in real time without breaking the layout or causing sudden changes that affect CLS.
