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CLS by click behavior

CLS by click behavior without noise

Vasil Dachev avatar
Written by Vasil Dachev
Updated over a week ago


What is CLS by click behavior

CLS by click behavior shows how Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) differs between sessions where users clicked (engaged) and those where they didn’t.

This lens helps you measure the relationship between layout stability and user engagement. A low CLS typically signals a visually stable experience that keeps users focused. Higher CLS, on the other hand, can distract or frustrate users—leading to missed clicks and early exits.

Healthy CLS by click behavior sample

In a healthy state:

  • Clicked sessions dominate, and CLS remains low — a strong sign that layout stability supports user interaction

  • Non-clicked sessions still show low CLS, meaning users didn’t click, but not because of layout issues

  • There’s a clear UX-to-engagement link: smooth visual flow encourages action

This pattern shows your site is visually polished and performance isn’t getting in the way of engagement.

Unhealthy CLS by click behavior sample

You may need to act if:

  • Non-clicked sessions show higher CLS — suggesting layout shifts are disrupting or distracting before the user has a chance to interact

  • Users are losing trust or context due to elements moving as they try to read or engage

  • Clicked sessions show higher CLS (less common) — might indicate shifts happen after users begin interacting (e.g. expanding content, modals, or injected elements)

In both cases, high CLS affects the user's perception of control — and that breaks the engagement flow.

Resolving unhealthy CLS by click behavior

Go-to action plan to resolve an unhealthy CLS by click behavior:

  1. Ask Uxi to analyze your CLS by click behavior values and suggest improvements

  2. Use Filters to isolate slow, non-clicked segments — and investigate device, page, or layout issues.

  3. Simulate CLS of the suspected lens to see if fixing it will resolve the CLS by click behavior. If yes, this is where the resolution focus should be.

  4. Use an automated CLS optimization tool like Navigation AI to improve your CLS by click behavior values

  5. Once you’ve improved CLS, set an alert to be the first to know if it starts worsening again.

Try it yourself

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