For website owners and developers using Elementor, achieving top Core Web Vitals scores is crucial for both user experience and SEO. One of the key metrics Google uses to gauge page performance is the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). This metric measures how long it takes for the largest visible content element on the page — such as a featured image or heading — to load. A poor LCP score often results in reduced search rankings and higher bounce rates. Fortunately, improving LCP on Elementor pages doesn’t require a complete theme overhaul. This article offers practical solutions to boost LCP without changing your existing theme.
Understanding What Affects LCP in Elementor
Elementor provides a lot of design flexibility, but some of its widgets and features can inadvertently affect LCP. Understanding what elements impact this metric helps in implementing targeted optimization. Here are a few common contributors to a poor LCP:
- Large hero images or sliders that slow down page rendering
- Render-blocking scripts or style sheets that delay meaningful content
- Third-party integrations such as fonts and analytics tools
- Below-average hosting environments that take longer to deliver the first byte
The good news is, all these can be optimized while still using Elementor and your current theme.
1. Optimize and Prioritize Hero Sections
In most Elementor-designed pages, the hero section — typically an image banner with a headline — is the element registered as the LCP. Optimizing this area is the most effective way to improve your page’s score.
- Use compressed images: Ensure the images are in WebP or similar lightweight formats.
- Set explicit dimensions: Inform the browser about the image size early so it can allocate space.
- Avoid sliders: Sliders might look appealing but they often require more resources and scripts to load.
- Use lazy loading smartly: Elementor supports this, but never lazy-load above-the-fold images.
2. Delay Non-Essential JavaScript
Elementor pages often include JavaScript from plugins, which impact LCP score if they run immediately upon page load. Use a performance plugin like Flying Scripts or WP Rocket to delay JavaScript execution until after user interaction or when it doesn’t block the rendering.
Scripts related to chat widgets, analytics, or A/B testing tools can usually be delayed safely without affecting user experience. Elementor’s compatibility with these plugins makes integration seamless.
3. Use Optimized Fonts and Preload Key Resources
Fonts play a surprisingly large role in page performance. Elementor often uses custom fonts or Google Fonts, which can delay text rendering. Optimize them using the following strategies:
- Preload your most-used font files: This helps the browser prioritize them.
- Avoid unnecessary font weights: Only load the variants you’re using.
- Host fonts locally: Instead of pulling them from Google servers, serving them from your site reduces DNS lookups.
Additionally, preload CSS or image assets that are part of the LCP node. This tells the browser they’re critical and should be fetched early.
4. Get Better Hosting or Use a CDN
No amount of frontend tweaking can overcome the limitations of poor-quality hosting. Elementor dynamically renders its pages, which can sometimes increase TTFB (Time to First Byte). You can mitigate this by upgrading to a better host or using a CDN (Content Delivery Network).
- Consider hosting providers optimized for WordPress: Such as Kinsta, SiteGround, or WP Engine.
- Use CDNs like Cloudflare or BunnyCDN: These distribute your content closer to your users, reducing latency.
A faster server response time directly results in better LCP scores, especially for global audiences.
5. Remove Unused Elementor Widgets
Every Elementor widget you load adds to your CSS and JavaScript bundle — even the ones you don’t use. By deactivating widgets you don’t need, you reduce front-end payloads.
You can use plugins like Asset Cleanup or Elementor Experiments (found under Elementor > Settings > Experiments) to disable unused widgets globally.
6. Minify and Combine Resources
Combining CSS and JS files reduces package requests and speeds up content delivery. Elementor offers built-in support for CSS and JS optimization. Use the following settings available in Elementor’s Performance tab:
- Enable Elementor’s CSS Print Method setting to ‘External File’: This reduces inline code clutter and helps browsers cache CSS easier.
- Activate minification options: This will reduce file sizes and increase loading speed.
If you are using caching plugins like LiteSpeed Cache or WP Rocket, they also provide advanced controls for combining and minifying files, which can further aid in LCP improvement.
7. Leverage Elementor Image Settings
Elementor Pro users have access to advanced image and media options. You can set the image loading behavior using the Image widget settings. Key tips include:
- Enable ‘Lazy Load’ only for below-the-fold images.
- Use ‘Object Fit: Cover’ instead of CSS-heavy methods for image display.
- Disable background overlays or use pure CSS gradients in place of large image overlays.
Smart use of Elementor settings can make a sizable difference in how fast primary visual elements are perceived by the user.
In Conclusion
Improving LCP on Elementor-powered pages doesn’t require a change of theme or drastic redesigns. It involves a focused approach to optimize the above-the-fold content, reduce unnecessary scripts, and use efficient asset-loading strategies.
By implementing these techniques, users can enhance site speed, boost SEO ranking, and provide a better user experience — all while keeping the convenience and design power of Elementor intact.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q1: What is a good LCP score to aim for?
A good LCP score is under 2.5 seconds. This means that the largest content element is visible and interactive within that time frame.
Q2: Does switching themes significantly affect LCP?
Yes, but in many cases, you can achieve similar performance gains by optimizing the content and scripts — without changing your theme.
Q3: Is lazy loading good or bad for LCP?
Lazy loading is good for overall performance but can hurt LCP if critical images (like hero images) are lazy-loaded. Always exclude above-the-fold elements from lazy loading.
Q4: Can plugins slow down LCP even if they’re not visible to users?
Yes. Even background plugins like analytics or optimization tools can inject scripts that block rendering. Use tools to audit and delay such scripts.
Q5: How can I measure LCP accurately?
You can measure LCP using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse, or real-user monitoring tools like New Relic and GTmetrix.
