Page Speed
Definition
How quickly a web page loads and becomes usable. Critical for user experience, conversions, and SEO rankings.
What is Page Speed?
Page speed measures how quickly a web page loads. It affects everything – user experience, conversion rates, bounce rates, and search engine rankings.
Why Page Speed Matters
User Experience
Users expect fast. Slow sites frustrate and lose visitors.
Conversions
Every second of delay costs conversions:
- 1 second delay = 7% conversion loss
- 3 seconds: 40% of visitors leave
SEO
Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. Slow sites rank lower.
Mobile Users
Often on slower connections, making speed even more critical.
Measuring Page Speed
Google PageSpeed Insights
Free tool showing performance scores and specific issues.
Core Web Vitals
Google's three key metrics: LCP, INP, and CLS.
Real User Data
Chrome User Experience Report shows actual user loading times.
Developer Tools
Browser tools for technical analysis.
Common Speed Issues
Large Images
Unoptimised images are the #1 speed killer.
Too Many Requests
Each file requires a server request. Fewer files = faster.
Unminified Code
Unnecessary whitespace and comments in CSS/JS.
No Caching
Returning visitors download everything again.
Slow Hosting
Cheap hosting often means slow servers.
Third-Party Scripts
Analytics, chat widgets, and ads add weight.
Improving Page Speed
Quick Wins
- Compress and resize images
- Enable caching
- Minify CSS and JavaScript
- Use a CDN
Technical Improvements
- Lazy load images
- Optimise critical rendering path
- Reduce server response time
- Eliminate render-blocking resources
Target Times
- Good: Under 2 seconds
- Acceptable: 2-4 seconds
- Poor: Over 4 seconds (significant user impact)
For mobile, aim for even faster – users are less patient on phones.