The Importance of Page Speed for SEO Success

What Is Page Speed?

Page speed is the amount of time it takes a website to load. There are multiple ways of timing that process, each offering a different view of the user experience.



Time to First Byte

Time to First Byte (TTFB) is the gap between a browser's request for a page and its receipt of the first byte of server data. It includes the time necessary to find the IP address, connect to the website, and perform any required security checks. Experts define a good TTFB as 800 milliseconds or less, and a poor TTFB as 1,800 milliseconds or more.

First Contentful Paint

First Contentful Paint (FCP) measures the time it takes to render the first complete content element. Most images and graphics count as content elements, but in-line frames from other websites do not. According to Google, a fast FCP takes 1.8 seconds or less, while a slow FCP takes more than three seconds.

Time to Interactive

Time to Interactive (TTI) measures the time needed for a page to be fully interactive, meaning valuable content is visible and user interactions get a response in 50 milliseconds or less.

Top-performing websites have TTIs of approximately 2.2 seconds, but anything up to 3.8 seconds qualifies as fast. Slow websites load in 7.4 seconds or more.

Load Time

Load time is similar to TTI, but it measures content load speed instead of responsiveness. You can easily measure page load time with Google's browser extension, though the results can vary by browser and location.

Mobile First

Google determines a page's search engine ranking by looking at its mobile version, not its desktop version. It switched in response to increased mobile searches, which had overtaken desktop searches by 2017.

Websites must load quickly on mobile devices, so website owners need to track their mobile page speeds. Fortunately, you can track these speeds using the same metrics.

Why Is Page Speed Important for SEO?

Page speed affects SEO on multiple levels, from technical function to user value. Each improvement boosts your chances of ranking higher on the search engine results pages (SERPs).



Impact on User Experience

Faster pages serve users better, which means Google and other search engines are more likely to prioritize them. Google, which handles 90% of global searches, explicitly favors a strong page experience.

Slow load speeds damage the user experience and can increase the bounce rate, which is the percentage of visitors who leave before taking any action. Google research shows that the likelihood of a bounce increases by 32% when a page's load time increases from one second to three. Another survey showed that 29% of people close a website before six seconds have passed.



Effect on Search Engine Rankings

Search engines use ever-evolving algorithms to assess a site's quality and determine its ranking. These algorithms weigh different ranking factors, the most important of which is page relevance. 

Page experience also plays a role in the rankings. If two pages are equally relevant but one is easier and more satisfying to use, it stands a good chance of ranking higher. Because page speed impacts the user experience, a faster site gives you an SEO edge.

Influence on Conversion Rates

Page speed directly affects conversion rates. Fast load times maintain emotional momentum and keep users excited about exploring the website they've landed on. 

If the website loads too slowly, the user is more likely to change their mind, get distracted, or look for another source of information. According to Google, conversions can drop by up to 20% for each second a page fails to load.

Fixing your page load speed is an effective way to boost your conversions. In 2021, for instance, Yelp improved its conversion rate by 15% by boosting page speed metrics like TTI and FCP.



Factors Affecting Page Speed

Optimizing your page load speed doesn't necessarily require advanced coding. Sometimes, the culprit is as simple as the wrong hosting service or an overly complex design.



Hosting Services

A web host does more than give your website an online address. It also provides the server through which the website's data moves. Whenever someone clicks on your link or enters your URL into their address bar, their browser contacts your host's servers to request your data.

Metrics like TTFB and FCP depend on how quickly your host processes that request. If too many websites use that server or the server is simply too slow, your page will load slower, and users will experience delayed responses.

Learn how your hosting service ensures pages load as quickly as possible. If its servers have plenty of storage and high-bandwidth links, you're off to a good start. Traffic management should also be a part of the picture.

Website Themes

A good website theme can serve your brand well. Unique features and dynamic images catch a reader's eye and reinforce your brand's identity, creating engagement and strengthening your audience relationship. 

Unfortunately, some popular themes can slow down your website. They require customization and extra code that takes a long time to load, frustrating your users instead of engaging them.

If you have a custom theme and are experiencing slow load speeds, talk to a web design and development expert. They can help you create an engaging option that doesn't weigh on the host's servers.

Large File Sizes

Large files can crowd your page even if you don't use a custom theme. High-resolution images, graphics, and videos require more server power and take longer to load, potentially frustrating the users whom they initially tried to engage.

You don't need to remove your multimedia elements entirely, nor should you. Images and videos engage users and make pages more scannable, both markers of a highly usable page. However, overly numerous or complex images can slow down your page and undo those benefits. Ensure all images and videos on your page add value, eliminating any that are there just for "padding."

Poorly Written Code

All websites have code behind them. Inefficient or unoptimized code takes longer for servers to read and can delay your page load speed. Think of an unedited manuscript that repeats words and phrases, makes the same point multiple times, and adds obscure vocabulary words to sound smart. 



Strategies to Improve Page Speed

Page speed optimization for SEO is a collaborative process. Whether you outsource or work hands-on with an internal team, here are the essential steps.



Optimize Code Cleanup

Clean code is the first step to a faster-loading website and happier users. Experts recommend starting with the following:

• Streamline JavaScript files: Eliminate unnecessary code and consolidate what's left so it's easier for servers to read.
• Implement browser caching: Include instructions telling the browser when to store resource elements for faster retrieval later.
• Minimize cascading style sheets (CSS): CSS code can "cut in line," blocking servers from processing other code. Reducing unnecessary CSS and compressing the remaining code often helps the page load faster.

A professional developer may have additional suggestions based on your site's unique structure.

Minimize HTTP Requests

When someone visits your website, their browser requests its component files from your host's server. Each HTTP file is a unique request, and more requests mean slower load times.

You don't need to strip your page to the bare bones to reduce HTTP requests, but some housekeeping is essential. For example:

• Clean your media library: Remove obsolete image and video files, including older versions of updated images. 
• Remove unnecessary files: Delete those that consume extra resources without adding value.
• Switch to asynchronous loading: Set your website to load multiple JavaScript elements at the same time to prevent delays.
• Streamline plug-ins: Remove plug-ins that don't add value and find streamlined versions of larger ones that do.
• Enable "lazy load": Tell your server to avoid loading unnecessary resources, such as images and videos, until the user scrolls down to them. Critical and immediately visible elements will load faster, improving the user experience.

Some of these techniques are more advanced than others, but all of them can reduce your HTTP requests and make your website run faster.

Compress Images

If your site's images are slowing down its speed and you've already removed those that don't add value, the next step is to compress and optimize them.

Use compression-friendly formats like WebP or PNG to ensure quality preservation. Then, reduce the file's size using an image compression tool. Some website builders have built-in compressors, but you may need to download a stand-alone tool.

Implement Content Delivery Networks

A content delivery network (CDN) is a group of connected but geographically dispersed servers that expedite content distribution. When someone requests a piece of content, the CDN will identify the closest server and send a copy from that location instead of the home server.

The nearby server then saves its copy of the data packet. When someone else in the same region requests that content, the local server can deliver its saved copy without another version needing to make the trip. This results in less latency and faster load times for the user, improving their perception of the website.

Multiple cloud service providers make their CDN platforms commercially available. Popular options include Amazon CloudFront, Cloudflare, and Limelight.

Tools for Measuring Page Speed

Before you adjust your site's structure, consider evaluating your Core Web Vitals. These are the metrics Google uses to measure your site's performance and assess your page experience:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): This is time necessary to render the page's largest image, video, or text block. It should be under 2.5 seconds.
• Interaction to Next Paint (INP): This is the time that elapses before the page renders a visual response to a user's action, such as opening a sub-menu or adding a product to a cart. Delays should be no longer than 200 milliseconds. 
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): This is the number of times the page layout changes unexpectedly during a session, often because of uneven rendering. Browsers calculate CLS by counting the movement of unstable page elements within a session. A good score is 0.1 or less.

The following tools can help you evaluate your page speed metrics.

Google PageSpeed Insights

PageSpeed Insights provides real-world data on your website's performance. It draws from the Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) dataset to report on all three Core Web Vitals metrics, plus FCP and TTFB.

PageSpeed Insights categorizes each user experience as "Good," "Needs Improvement," or "Poor." The report includes a breakdown of the results and gives you a performance percentile.

Semrush

Semrush's Site Audit checks all of your pages and shows you where you can optimize your speed. It also provides overall performance and technical SEO results, including internal linking and site crawlability.

Ahrefs

Ahrefs' Site Audit tool is a valuable way for large websites to process their PageSpeed Insights results. You crawl through the data, and Ahrefs aggregates the results to pinpoint problematic spots. Faster insights mean you can take action quicker and resolve your site's speed sooner.



Frequently Asked Questions

Does Speed Affect SEO?

Yes. Faster-loading pages are easier and more satisfying for users, and user value is the primary ranking factor for SEO.

Is Page Speed a Ranking Factor for Google?

Experts at Search Engine Journal have confirmed that page speed is one of Google's ranking factors for page experience. A faster site can boost your search rankings, assuming your content offers genuine value to your audience.

What Is a Good Page Load Speed?

There are multiple ways of measuring page speed, each with unique speed standards. A fast webpage should show its first element in 1.8 seconds but may not be fully interactive for 3.8 seconds. Overall, the average webpage loads in 8.6 seconds on mobile devices and 2.5 seconds on desktops.

Prioritizing Page Speed for SEO Success

Optimizing your website's page speed is an effective way to gain an SEO advantage. At Optimize Digital Marketing, we offer expert website design and development services. Our experts will work with you to build a site that runs smoothly and efficiently so you make a great impression on your audience.

Contact us today to learn how we can help.