A fast website also needs to be easy to use. Assess performance and user experience together when comparing your site with competitors.
Website Performance and User Experience
A slow, unresponsive page can drive a potential customer away before they finish their task.
Core Web Vitals
Google’s Core Web Vitals (CWV) measure aspects of page experience. The metrics discussed here are Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Read more about them here.
LCP measures when the main content appears. FID measures the delay before the browser begins responding to a user’s first interaction. CLS measures visual stability as page elements shift.
Benchmark Often!
Use your understanding of CWV to interpret a performance audit from PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse. The results identify areas to investigate and give you a baseline for later comparisons.
Benchmark competitors too, so you can compare their results with your own.
Optimize the Issues Found in the Audit
Look for elements contributing to a slow LCP or high CLS score. Large, unoptimized images and slow-loading JavaScript files are examples to investigate.
Compress and optimize images, and use lazy loading where appropriate. Review JavaScript loading and remove unnecessary delays.
We share more information about optimizing web performance here.
Review the User Experience
Check whether visitors can find what they need and complete their tasks. Is the site quick and intuitive to use?
Review load times, mobile compatibility, and content formatting for obstacles that could prevent visitors from completing a purchase or enquiry.
Gather user feedback to find out what works and what frustrates visitors. Use it to guide the next round of changes.
Measure the Results of Your Changes
Repeat the performance audit after making changes and compare it with your baseline. Review user feedback alongside those measurements.
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