The crucial importance of Page Speed for every website and how to improve it

The page speed is one of the most critical factors in the performance of any website. In a world where information is transferred at lightning speed and users demand fast, quality results, the loading speed of a website can prove to be crucial to its success or failure. Although many website owners focus solely on factors such as appearance, menu structure or content, enhancing website speed can offer significant improvement in every performance parameter - whether it concerns the position in search engine results, the abandonment rate of users, or visitor satisfaction.

However, the concept of loading speed can be affected by a multitude of technical and non-technical factors: from the hosting and coding of the website, to the way images are presented or the way caching is managed. Explaining and describing all these factors requires an extensive analytical approach, which will help us understand not only "what" we need to improve, but also "how" to implement it properly. Even more important is to understand why loading speed is a top priority issue in the online presence of a business, personal website or e-shop. Through this article, we will explore in depth the importance of page speed, we will analyse basic techniques and give tips for its successful optimisation.

Most of us, when we visit a website, tend to give up pretty quickly if it's slow to load. Various studies show that even an extra delay of two or three seconds can rapidly increase the bounce rate. This uncertainty and user dissatisfaction translates into lost revenue, lost trust and, of course, lower search engine rankings. The SEO optimization depends largely on factors such as user experience, usability and usability. When the algorithm evaluates a website, it now gives more weight to the end-user experience, rewarding those pages that offer faster and more meaningful navigation.

The concept of page speed, i.e. the time between the moment a user tries to load a web page and the moment it is fully displayed in the browser, is interrelated with the page load time, i.e. how quickly all the elements of the page - images, text, scripts - become available and functional. This, in turn, is influenced by a variety of elements, such as the quality of hosting, code optimisation, compression and resource management, the use of CDNs, the caching strategies, the structure and architecture of the site, but also the integration of third-party elements (plug-ins, ads, trackers, etc.).

This is followed by a thorough analysis, which will help you to understand in depth how the loading speed works, how the speed of the loading process works, how the on-page SEO strategy and why it is now a cornerstone for the success of any modern Website. This article draws inspiration, information and data from a variety of sources on the internet, including Semrush's original article on the page speed, but also from trusted platforms such as Google, GTmetrix and other leaders in the field of SEO analytics and the evaluation of the site performance.

Why Page Speed is so important

The shift to the mobile environment and the continuous increase in the use of smartphones has given the page speed even more weight. Mobile users want instant navigation, especially when they are on the move or have limited time and availability. The slower the page loads on a mobile device, the greater the chances that the user will leave immediately. Consider that in an environment like TikTok or Instagram, where everything scrolls by in a split second, patience is zeroed out. For this reason, even traditional search engines now prioritize mobile-friendly design and algorithms take into account the time it takes for the main content to appear on mobile.

At the same time, the importance of page speed for SEO has been proven methodically. Google's algorithm, from 2010 onwards, takes loading speed into account as a ranking factor, while in recent years the weight on metrics such as Core Web Vitals is getting bigger and bigger. The Core Web Vitals - namely Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) - accurately measure the page's effectiveness in loading, interaction and layout stability. If a page scores low on these metrics, it will most likely appear lower in search results and continually lose visitors.

Another reason why the page speed is a critical factor, it concerns the psychology of the user. Visitors tend to associate the professional image of a website with fast loading. If someone perceives that a page is slow, they are likely to form a negative impression of the quality and reliability of the products or services offered. In contrast, a fast website emits a sense of professionalism, technological competence and respect for the visitor. Therefore, improving the page speed directly increases user satisfaction, helps reduce bounce rate and, of course, boosts conversions, as the user is more easily persuaded to perform an action (e.g. purchase, registration, form filling).

The key elements that determine Page Speed

The increase in website speed is not the result of a single action, but of multi-level improvement. In more detail:

1. Hosting Performance: The server where the website is hosted plays a primary role. If the hosting provider is using old servers or does not have the necessary resources, it makes sense that the response time will be longer. Moreover, the location of the servers affects the latency. When the server is located far away from the target users, the response is delayed more.
2. Size of the files: High-resolution images, large videos or uncompressed JavaScript files can significantly overload the page load time. Incorrect use of CSS files or loading multiple plugins can also delay loading.
3. caching strategies: Here, we're talking about keeping web page information in the cache of the browser or a proxy server so that pages load faster the next time. The right headers at the HTTP layer can significantly speed up the user experience.
4. CDN Usage: A content delivery network distributes website content to multiple servers around the world, allowing the user to "download" files from the geographically closest server. This reduces latency and significantly improves the site performance.
5. Code optimization: The removal of unnecessary code, compression of CSS and JavaScript files, and proper loading of scripts (e.g. asynchronous loading) play a crucial role. Avoiding technologies or plugins that are heavy or outdated also contributes.
6. Maximize performance on mobile devices: A mobile-friendly design is not only about responsive layout, but also about speed. On mobile devices, the network (e.g. 3G/4G/5G) may be less stable, so even more emphasis is needed to improve the page speed.
7. Quality and format of the images: In addition to compression techniques (e.g. WebP, JPEG 2000), it is important to perform lazy loading on images that are not at the top of the page, so that the user can see the critical content directly. Η compressing images technique is essential, especially on pages with many product photos or high-resolution photos.
8. Core Web Vitals: As already mentioned, these metrics (LCP, FID, CLS) are now a key priority in Google's algorithm. An excellent page speed is largely linked to the improvement of these three indicators, as they reflect the actual user experience when loading and interacting with the website.

All these elements interact with each other, eventually forming the overall page speed of the website. It is therefore clear that a multi-dimensional approach is required, where each optimization layer works in harmony with the others. The ultimate goal is a result that combines speed, quality, and a professional image.

How to measure and evaluate loading speed

The correct evaluation of the page speed requires reliable tools that not only give you an overall score, but also detailed information on problem areas.

1. Google PageSpeed Insights: Google's best-known tool, which displays two scores - one for desktop and one for mobile - and gives practical suggestions for improvement. It also controls the parameters of Core Web Vitals, indicating whether your site is in the "green zone" (Good), the "orange zone" (Needs Improvement) or the "red zone" (Poor).
2. GTmetrix: Offers a detailed report on how fast the page elements are loading, dividing the loading into phases. It lists a waterfall chart that helps you see which files are taking the longest to load. In addition, it provides tips for reducing loading time, such as minimizing CSS and JavaScript.
3. Pingdom Tools: Although less detailed in some aspects, it quickly shows the "heavy" content and places the site in a certain tier. It's particularly useful for quickly tracking improvements after you make changes.
4. WebPageTest: Gives a detailed look at various metrics, even allowing you to check performance across different geographic locations, different browsers and different network connections.

With the help of these tools, website owners can identify speed bottlenecks, set priorities and take targeted action. Continuous re-measurement is key; after making a change, it's wise to re-measure site performance to make sure speed has improved and no other issues have arisen.

Common techniques and practices to improve Page Speed

Here, we will focus on specific improvements that can be implemented by either developers or site owners with basic technical knowledge. However, it is often beneficial to work with an expert, especially if the infrastructure or scale of the site is large.

1. Choosing quality hosting: From the outset, investing in a reliable hosting provider is crucial. Choose servers close to your audience, make sure there are enough resources (CPU, RAM) and, if possible, opt for a managed service where experts monitor server performance. More expensive hosting plans usually guarantee better response, but this also depends on the reputation of the provider.
2. CDN Usage (CDN Usage): Regardless of the hosting, the implementation of a content delivery network can dramatically reduce loading time for users located in different geographical areas. Services such as Cloudflare, StackPath or Akamai speed up the delivery of static files, while offering additional layers of security.
3. Compression and minimization (minification): By caching strategies combined with tools that remove spaces and comments from CSS, JavaScript and HTML files, we achieve a significant reduction in file size. This makes communication between server and browser faster. Even in WordPress there are many plugins that automate this process.
4. Lazy loading of images: On pages where there are many images, instead of loading them all at once, we apply a lazy loading technique. Thus, the images below the visible part of the screen are loaded only when the user scrolls down. This reduces the initial load to page load time.
5. Use of modern image formats: WebP is an example of a format that offers high quality with a small size. For even better results, there are JPEG 2000 and JPEG XR. Of course, not all browsers are fully supported, so you will need fallback mechanisms or careful compatibility checking. Η compressing images correctly and efficiently is one of the easiest ways to earn points in the user experience.
6. Improving server response (TTFB): Time to First Byte depends on the server configuration, network speed and database efficiency. By properly caching dynamic content and limiting complex queries, you achieve a faster response time.
7. Reduction of external scripts: Every time you integrate scripts (e.g. ads, trackers, social media widgets), you add additional HTTP requests. This can significantly overload the page speed. Any scripts that are not absolutely necessary are best removed or loaded asynchronously.
8. Optimisation of the database: Especially on CMS platforms, the database gets cluttered with unnecessary data (revisions, spam comments, etc.). Regular maintenance and cleaning of the database can help the site to respond faster.
9. On-page SEO practices: Improving the structure of URLs, the correct use of heading tags (H1, H2, H3) and meta-description contribute to easier indexing, which is indirectly linked to faster content delivery, since search engines can store page elements more efficiently.
10. Testing in real conditions: Don't rely on tools alone. Check the site on different devices (mobile, tablet, laptop), on different networks (Wi-Fi, 3G/4G) and in different browsers. This will give you a more realistic picture of performance.

With these practices, you will be able to see a noticeable improvement in the loading speed of the website, and therefore in the site performance of. The end result will be an experience that meets the requirements of visitors and search engine algorithms.

How much does Page Speed affect SEO?

One of the questions that website owners often ask is how crucial is the relationship between page speed and classification in the organic results. The answer is not simply limited to a 'fairly significant' answer. Google has made it clear that loading speed is a ranking factor, and in fact is becoming increasingly strict in this regard. The slower a page is, the greater the likelihood of it appearing in a lower position compared to pages that provide similar content but load quickly.

At the same time, low loading speed increases the risk of a high bounce rate, which also sends negative signals. The logic is simple: If a user leaves the page before it even loads, obviously the experience was unpleasant. This reduces the time spent on the page, another parameter that search engines sometimes take into account when judging the relevance and usefulness of content.

In addition, the improvement of the on-page SEO in today's world cannot be complete without taking into account loading times. Many modern SEO tools, in addition to analyzing keywords, content and backlinks, check technical parameters such as CDN usage, image optimization, hosting quality, etc. All of these affect the overall visibility of a site and, in a competitive industry, every detail counts.

Core Web Vitals: the key to user experience

Already mentioned are the Core Web Vitalsbut here we will focus a little more on their importance:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures the time it takes to load the largest element of visible content (usually an image or text). If the LCP is long, the user sees blank or incomplete content for several seconds, which reduces the user experience.
• First Input Delay (FID): Measures how long it takes the page to respond to the user's first interaction (e.g. clicking a button). A high FID means that the page loads so many scripts that the interaction is blocked.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures how much the page layout changes during loading. For example, if a button shifts abruptly while trying to click it, we have a negative user experience.

Google places particular emphasis on these indicators, considering them crucial for the qualitative evaluation of a site. If your metrics are at a low level, then even if you offer great content, you risk losing rankings or displeasing your audience. Improving Core Web Vitals entails improvement in factors such as page load time, smooth interaction, layout stability, etc.

Examples of best practices on popular websites

Many of the world's leading websites invest heavily in the technology of page speed. For example:

• Amazon has openly stated that for every one second delay in loading, it loses a significant amount of revenue. That's why it constantly keeps product pages optimized, checking images, scripts and every possible bottleneck.
• Facebook, despite displaying a huge amount of data, makes sure that the core of the page loads quickly so that the user can start interacting immediately. Additional data is dynamically loaded along the way.
• Google, as a search engine, has essentially transformed the page speed into a cornerstone for its own operation, proving that fast search results encourage greater trust and more frequent use.

So if corporate giants are investing so much in strengthening the website speed, it is clear that even for smaller websites this parameter is non-negotiable, especially if they wish to remain competitive.

The benefits beyond SEO

A fast site not only benefits search engine rankings. It has multiple benefits:

• Improved user experience (user satisfaction): Guests feel that they are in a reliable, modern environment. This increases the likelihood of reading more pages, subscribing to newsletters or making purchases.
• Increase in conversions: With a faster site, the user interacts more easily with the page, which can lead to a higher purchase or fill-in rate.
• Economy of resources: With the right optimization and the use of caching strategies, the load on the server is less. This translates into lower hosting costs or the ability to serve more simultaneous visitors without upgrading to a more expensive package.
• Best mobile experience: A site that loads quickly in a mobile environment has an additional advantage, as the user is able to navigate easily and fully use your content.

Common mistakes that slow down Page Speed

Regardless of your level of knowledge or the type of platform you use, there are certain mistakes that are often found:

1. Excessively large media files: Images taken with a DSLR or high-resolution video were uploaded directly to the site, without compression or processing, resulting in a huge amount of data.
2. Loading unnecessary plugins: Especially in CMS like WordPress, the poor choice or the accumulation of many plugins can slow down the page significantly. Some plugins also conflict with each other or generate multiple requests to the server.
3. Lack of cache: Without cache, each page is called from the beginning. This on high traffic sites creates delays and server overhead.
4. Poor code structure: HTML, CSS and JavaScript can be full of repetitions, annotations, gaps and unoptimized functions. In addition, poor use of inline CSS/JS often overloads loading.
5. Overlooking the Core Web Vitals: Some continue to focus only on the overall page load time, without considering the actual user experience at individual stages (LCP, FID, CLS).

By avoiding these mistakes, you holistically improve the performance of your site and make it easier for both search engines and users to interact with your content.

Practical Step by Step Guide to Improving Page Speed

Below is a step-by-step approach that you can follow:

1. Recording and evaluation: Before making any changes, measure with the tools mentioned (Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, etc.). Take notes on key weaknesses.
2. Choice of hosting: If you experience long delays on the server side, consider upgrading or switching to a more reliable provider.
3. Image restructuring: Compress, change format if necessary (e.g. from PNG to WebP or JPEG) and apply lazy loading to non-basic images.
4. Minify and combine files: With the help of appropriate tools or plugins, minimize CSS/JS code and consider combining files to reduce HTTP requests.
5. Enable cache: Set Page Caching or Object Caching, depending on the CMS. Also, enable browser caching to delay the expiration (expire) of static files.
6. CDN usage: If your audience is international or you have many visitors from different countries, using a CDN is a huge help.
7. Improving Core Web Vitals: The goal is to have LCP under 2.5 seconds, FID under 100 ms and CLS under 0.1. This means you need to be careful about loading large content at the beginning, reduce blocked scripts and stabilize the layout.
8. Third party script restriction: Evaluate if you really need all the widgets, ads, Facebook Pixel, etc. Each external integration adds loading time.
9. Final check: After you have made the improvements, repeat the tests with the same tools. Compare the results to see if you have actually gained in page speed.
10. Continuous improvement: Technology and standards are changing. It's a good idea to have a routine so that every few months you can check to see if there are any new suggestions or upgrades for your site. Even if you have achieved a high degree of optimization, new technologies or trends (e.g. HTTP/3, ES modules) may offer further advantages.

By following these steps systematically, you are likely to see dramatic changes in loading speed, overall performance and the website experience and your site's rating by search engines. Full dedication and careful implementation results not only in better rankings but also in increased user confidence.

The future of Page Speed and the current trends

As technology evolves, the concept of the page speed is getting more and more complicated. Progressive Web Apps (PWA), the use of serverless architecture, the proliferation of artificial intelligence in performance analysis, and the increasing emphasis on the mobile environment are factors that will shape the next generation of optimization.

In addition, Google and other search engines are constantly testing new ranking signals, which will likely reward an extremely fast and smooth user experience. Users expect speeds like those offered by major platforms and social media. Those websites that fall short in this regard risk being left behind.

Current trends also show a shift to SEO-friendly frameworks that incorporate built-in optimization mechanisms. For example, JavaScript libraries such as Next.js have built-in support for images, WebP conversion, automatic code splitting, etc., making it easier for developers to achieve optimal page speed. At the same wavelength, the on-page SEO is facilitated by plugins that simplify the enhancement of Core Web Vitals without having to write complex code.

Conclusion

The loading speed or page speed is not just a technical detail. It is a pillar on which much of the success of a website is built, whether we're talking about a simple personal blog, an online store with hundreds of products, or a corporate site seeking a professional profile. The high site performance is directly linked to a better user experience, increased conversions, improved brand image, and favourable ranking in search engine results.

In our time, the SEO optimization cannot be understood without the optimization of the page speed. The algorithms give weight to metrics such as Core Web Vitals, while users now have zero patience for slow pages. In this context, dealing with the technological and architectural aspects of the website is not a luxury, but a prerequisite for an effective digital presence. It is worth investing time and resources to create a fast, functional and attractive website. The benefit will be manifold, both in terms of SEO and interaction with your audience.

A combination of a sequence of steps, continuous improvement and keeping up to date with the latest developments will allow you to always keep the page speed at high levels. Finally, it's worth remembering that every second counts. Your competitors may already have optimization practices in place that improve their rankings and increase their conversions. So make sure to catch up or surpass them by focusing on a factor that, often, makes the difference between success and mediocrity.

Source of inspiration: https://www.semrush.com/blog/page-speed/