Reserved ad space and responsive media can protect news pages from layout shifts

Stability should be designed before advertising loads

Advertisement containers should exist in the original document with dimensions reserved for each responsive breakpoint. Scripts can fill those containers, but they should not insert new blocks above the headline or the first paragraph.

Article images also need explicit width, height or aspect ratio values. This lets the browser reserve the correct area before the image finishes downloading.

Performance supports accessibility

Predictable layouts help readers maintain context, particularly when using magnification, touch navigation or slower connections. Visual stability should therefore be treated as a product-quality requirement rather than a score-chasing exercise.