Page Speed Matters: Boost Your Site in Minutes
Why Page Speed Counts
Fast sites rank higher and convert better. Google found even a one-second delay can cut conversions by 7%. If your site takes more than three seconds to load, you’re losing traffic and sales before the page even appears.
Problem Snapshot
- Slow Core Web Vitals: LCP above 4s, high CLS, delayed FID
- Poor Mobile Load Times: Slower than desktop
- High Bounce Rates: Visitors leave before content loads
These issues point to outdated hosting, heavy assets, or bloated plugins.
Quick Fixes
- Run PageSpeed Insights
- Go to pagespeed.web.dev
- Note LCP, FID, CLS, and FCP
- Outcome: See how fast users get content
- Check Core Web Vitals in Search Console
- Under “Experience” → “Core Web Vitals”
- Export reports for your top pages
- Outcome: Real-world speed data
- Apply Fast Wins
- Use a CDN (Cloudflare, Fastly)
- Upgrade Hosting to SSD-based, optimized servers
- Optimize Images with WebP/AVIF and lazy load
- Audit Plugins; swap heavy ones for light options like Autoptimize
- Test and Iterate
- Make one change at a time
- Re-run PSI and monitor GSC
Example
An e-commerce site cut LCP from 5.2s to 3.1s with Cloudflare and improved FID by switching hosts. Traffic rose 12% in three months (Search Engine Journal, 2023).
Checklist
- Run PSI quarterly
- Review Core Web Vitals monthly
- Use a CDN with caching
- Host with SSDs and PHP 8+
- Convert images to WebP/AVIF
- Keep only essential plugins
Common Traps
- Over-caching shows stale pages
- Skipping compression (Gzip/Brotli)
- Heavy third-party scripts blocking load
- Optimizing desktop but ignoring mobile
FAQs
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| My site feels slow. What should I do first? | Run PageSpeed Insights and GSC Core Web Vitals. Fix the top issues (usually images, hosting, or scripts) one at a time. |
| What if my site already scores high? | Great—but keep tuning. Even fast sites can trim milliseconds with smaller fonts, reduced CSS, or fewer third-party scripts. |
| How do I know if my speed is good enough? | Aim for LCP under 2.5s, FID under 100ms, and CLS below 0.1. If you’re above these, users will notice the lag. |
| Can I rely only on PSI? | No—PSI is a lab test. Pair it with Search Console to see how real visitors experience your site. |
| How often should I test? | After major changes (themes, plugins, hosting) and at least quarterly for ongoing monitoring. |
Takeaway
Speed isn’t optional—it’s a ranking factor and a revenue driver. Run PSI, fix Core Web Vitals, and start with one simple win today. Faster pages mean happier visitors, stronger SEO, and more sales.
