Speed affects rankings, conversions and ad costs. Learn the three numbers Google measures, what “good” looks like and the fixes that help most.
Every extra second of loading time gives visitors a reason to leave. Google measures real-world speed with three Core Web Vitals and uses them as a ranking signal.
The three numbers that matter
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) — how quickly the main content appears. Good: under 2.5 seconds.
- Interaction to Next Paint (INP) — how quickly the page reacts when someone taps or clicks. Good: under 200 milliseconds.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) — how much the layout jumps while loading. Good: under 0.1.
The fixes that help most
- Optimise images: use modern formats such as WebP, the right dimensions and lazy loading below the fold.
- Use good hosting and caching: a fast server response (under about 800 ms) is the foundation for everything else.
- Remove what you do not need: unused plugins, sliders and third-party scripts often cost the most.
- Reserve space for images and embeds so the layout does not jump.
- Use a CDN such as Cloudflare to serve files from close to your visitors.
Test your own website
Run our free Page Speed Test for Google Lighthouse scores on mobile and desktop, and the HTTP Header Checker to see your server response time and caching headers.
Slow site? Ask us for a free speed review — we will tell you which fixes will make the biggest difference.
Need help putting this into practice?
Our team can do it for you — get a free plan and quote within 24 hours.
