What is page speed?
Page speed is how quickly a web page loads and becomes usable for a visitor. It isn't one number: it includes how fast content appears, how soon the page responds, and how stable it is while loading.
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Why page speed matters
Slow pages frustrate visitors, and many leave before they finish loading. That can cost you inquiries and sales regardless of how well you rank.
Speed is also part of Google's page experience signals through Core Web Vitals. It's one factor among many, and relevant content still matters most.
How to measure it
PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse test individual pages and suggest fixes. The Core Web Vitals report in Google Search Console shows how real visitors experience groups of pages.
Common ways to improve it
Compress and correctly size images, reduce and defer scripts, use caching, and choose reliable hosting. A content delivery network can also help serve files from closer to the visitor.
Common questions
Is page speed a Google ranking factor?
Yes, it's part of the page experience signals Google uses. It's usually a lighter factor than content relevance, but slow pages also hurt conversions.
What is a good page load time?
There's no single threshold. Aim to meet Google's Core Web Vitals targets and make sure the main content appears quickly on mobile connections.
Why is my site slow?
Typical causes are oversized images, too many scripts, slow hosting, and heavy themes or plugins. A Lighthouse report usually points to the biggest problems.
Does mobile page speed matter more than desktop?
Google primarily uses the mobile version of a site for indexing, and mobile devices and connections are often slower. Test both, but prioritize mobile.
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