Why Website Speed Matters More Than Ever
How loading performance affects user experience, SEO, and conversion rates.
Website speed has become a critical factor for success online. With attention spans shorter than ever and Google using Core Web Vitals as a ranking factor, a slow website can cost you visitors, customers, and revenue.
The Impact of Speed on User Experience
Research shows that users expect websites to load in under 3 seconds. When a page takes longer:
- 53% of mobile visitors leave if a page takes more than 3 seconds to load
- Each additional second of load time can reduce conversions by 7%
- Slow sites see higher bounce rates and lower engagement
“Speed is the ultimate feature. If your site is slow, nothing else matters.”
Speed and SEO
Google has made it clear: page speed is a ranking factor. Their Core Web Vitals metrics — Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) — directly influence search rankings.
What Good Scores Look Like
| Metric | Good | Needs Improvement | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCP | ≤2.5s | 2.5s–4s | >4s |
| FID | ≤100ms | 100–300ms | >300ms |
| CLS | ≤0.1 | 0.1–0.25 | >0.25 |
Why These Metrics Matter
- LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) measures how quickly the main content loads
- FID (First Input Delay) measures how responsive your site is to user interaction
- CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) measures visual stability as elements load
How We Optimize for Speed
At ueb.al, performance is built into every project from day one:
- Modern frameworks — We use static site generators like Hugo that deliver pre-built HTML
- Optimized images — Proper sizing, modern formats (WebP, AVIF), and lazy loading
- Minimal JavaScript — Progressive enhancement instead of JavaScript-first approaches
- Smart caching — Browser caching and CDN distribution for fast repeat visits
- Performance budgets — We set and enforce limits on page weight and load times
Real Results
Our clients typically see:
- 90+ Lighthouse scores across all metrics
- Sub-second load times on fast connections
- Improved search rankings within weeks of launch
Quick Wins You Can Implement Today
Even without a full rebuild, you can improve speed:
- Compress images — Use tools like Squoosh or ImageOptim
- Enable caching — Set proper cache headers
- Remove unused code — Audit your CSS and JavaScript
- Use a CDN — Cloudflare offers a free tier
The Bottom Line
A fast website isn’t just nice to have — it’s essential for competing online. Whether you’re looking to improve SEO, increase conversions, or simply provide a better user experience, speed optimization should be a priority.
Ready to make your website faster? Contact us for a performance audit, or try our calculator to estimate your project.