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The Madison Avenue Field GuideA field guide to marketing & advertising, by Brandon Mina

GlossarySEO & ContentCumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

SEO & Content

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)

A Core Web Vital measuring how much page content unexpectedly moves while loading; a score of 0.1 or less is good.

By Brandon MinaCEO, BrandPilot AIUpdated November 2026

Short answer

Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is a Core Web Vital measuring how much page content unexpectedly moves while loading, with a score of 0.1 or less considered good. Shifts often come from images without dimensions, late-loading ads or injected content. High CLS frustrates users, who may click the wrong element, and weakens a page's experience signals.