When it comes to page load speed, faster is always better. According to Semrush, if your page takes over three seconds to load, your bounce rate can increase significantly. Bounce rate indicates how quickly people leave a webpage. Page speed doesn’t have a sole metric. Instead, it combines several other metrics. You’ll want to shoot for a page load speed of 0-2 seconds on your agency website pages.
Q: What is page load speed?
A: Page load speed is a series of different metrics. It indicates how fast a page and all its elements appear, including photos, graphics, videos, and text. The faster it loads, the more likely a user will stay and see what your site is all about.
Q: How do I check my page load speed?
A: Page Speed Resources
The easiest way to check page speed is PageSpeed Insights.
You can also check the above vitals in Google Search Console. Go to “Core Web Vitals.” If your page ranks “Good,” you’re good to go!
Pingdom is another excellent resource because it tells you WHY your page load speeds are slow. Yet another resource is Lighthouse, which is exists as an add-on at the Chrome store.
Pingdom and Lighthouse can both assess the following:
Ensuring that the website is mobile-friendly
Compressing all images and minifying CSS/JavaScript files
Schema markup…and more!
| Read about how to make your site mobile-friendly | Find out why metadata is important | Learn how to fix metadata and optimize images |
Q: What if my page load speed is high?
A: First off, it’s always good to optimize content so that your page load speed is shorter. But on the other hand, don’t compromise good, quality content for the sake of speed. According to Semrush, a page with robust and rich content that takes a second more to load doesn’t mean the page performs poorly. So, take page loading speeds on a case-by-case basis and never sacrifice good content for fast content. Google prioritizes relevant content over quick, which is something to remember.
Now, if your page is slow and your content is relevant, here are some ways that Shopify, Woorank, and HubSpot-approved address the issue:
- Check your hosting - a bad provider can be the root of the problem.
Pro tip: There is a difference between the Sitecore-based sites we oversee and agency-driven platforms on WordPress and other Content Management Systems (CMSs) and hosting sites. The good news is our team handles hosting issues for all Sitecore sites, and images are compressed automatically in the new design system. If your site has a different host, please check the suggestions below.
- Resize images - a good standard to use is 600 X 400 and 72 dpi
- Compress images - Use an optimization tool to compress your image to its smallest size.
- Use the correct image format - JPEG is great for standard photos; PNG is better. for images with copy or graphics without a lot of colors.
Find more technical information on page load speed >