14 site speed statistics for businesses in 2024
Unleash the Nitro: Supercharge Your Website Speed for SEO & Conversions (2024)
1. The average website takes around 8.6 seconds to load on mobile devices.
As revealed by our shocking 14 site speed statistics, the average time on the desktop is 2.5 seconds. The point to note here is that mobile devices tend to be far slower than computers or even tablets. That means you’ll want to put an extra focus on page speed for the mobile version of your site.
2. The average page load speed among sites ranking on page one of Google is 1.65 seconds.
If you actually want to have a shot at ranking on the first page of Google, you need your site to be fast — around one or two seconds, specifically. That’s because page speed has a significant impact on Google’s SEO.
3. 83% of online users expect websites they visit to load in three seconds or less.
We just looked at how fast your site has to load to have a shot at ranking on page one of Google. But even without considering Google, you still want your site to load within three seconds. Otherwise, you’re risking losing out on a lot of traffic, bringing us to our next page speed statistic.
4. 40% of online users will abandon a website that takes longer than three seconds to load.
This site speed stat builds off the previous one, showing that a sizeable percentage of users won’t even bother to stick around if they have to wait more than three seconds. These users will hit the “back” button before the page has even loaded.
This stat is important because it shows that if you don’t take your page speeds seriously, you’ll end up losing out on a huge portion of your potential traffic.
5. Pages that take only one or two seconds to load have an average bounce rate of 9%, but pages that take five seconds to load have an average bounce rate of 38%.
Bounce rate — the percentage of site visitors who leave immediately after arriving — is heavily influenced by page speed. In fact, a mere three extra seconds of loading can cause your bounce rate to shoot up by nearly 30%.
6. Nearly 70% of users say that an online retailer’s site speed has an impact on how willing they are to buy from that retailer.
If you sell products online, it’s extra important to have fast page load speeds. You want people to visit your website and buy from you there, but as this site speed stat shows, many people will be discouraged from making a purchase if your site loads slowly.
7. 64% of online shoppers who have a poor user experience on a website will go find a different store to shop at.
We just saw how people might be less likely to buy from you due to slow page speeds. But most of those people will go a step further — not only will they be less likely to buy from you, but they’ll hop straight over to one of your competitors to buy from them instead.
8. Half of online users surveyed say they’d prefer to miss out on animation and video if it meant getting faster load times.
When you’re building a website, it can become easy to assume that flashier animations and engaging videos will help draw users in. And that’s often true. However, be careful how much you do it. If you rely too much on videos and animations, it can drastically slow down your site.
As this stat shows, users prefer faster load times to videos and animations. So, if it comes down to a choice between the two, definitely prioritize page speed with a simple design.
9. For each second of additional page load time, conversion rates decrease by an average of 2.11%.
We’ve established that it’s best to have page speeds of around one or two seconds, but it might not seem like a big deal if your load times are only a second or two over. However, as this stat shows, even a single second can cost you a significant number of conversions.
10. 44% of online shoppers share negative website experiences with other people.
Last on our list of page speed stats is that not only do slow page speeds affect people who visit your website, but they also affect people who haven’t even visited it yet. That’s because people who go to your site and get annoyed with slow speeds will likely tell other people about it, discouraging those people from visiting to start with.
Needless to say, this significantly hurts your sales, so it’s one more reason to improve your page speeds.
11. 32% is how much the probability of a bounce increases as page load time goes from 1 second to 3 seconds.
We touched on this figure earlier, but this restates how important every second is when working on site speed. This number comes straight from Google, so you can use this site speed statistic for SEO while targeting their search algorithm.
12. The top 10 e-commerce websites in the US have an average page load time of 1.96 seconds.
If you’re an e-commerce site, you know how competitive the industry is. That’s why this statistic matters—understanding site speed for e-commerce giants can give you something to strive toward.
Plus, knowing that customers don’t want to interact with slow loading times means you should seriously consider working on your website.
13. Page load speed is in the top 20 Google Ranking factors.
While Google has never officially released its ranking factors, marketers and researchers have been narrowing down the top ones for years. Site speed is up there as one of the most important for helping your pages rank.
Knowing what we know about slow websites, this should come as no surprise. Google wants to give its users the best results, so they will inevitably prioritize fast-loading websites.
14. 79% of shoppers who have trouble with site performance say they won’t return to the site to buy again.
To round out our list of site speed statistics for SEO, we have this one on buyer behavior. Not only are you also losing out on business initially — you lose a chance at conversions for good.
Unleash the Nitro: Supercharge Your Website Speed for SEO & Conversions (2024)
In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, website speed isn’t a suggestion; it’s a non-negotiable. Slow loading times can cripple your online presence, hemorrhaging potential customers and sending your conversion rates plummeting. Conversely, a lightning-fast website acts as a conversion machine, keeping users engaged, boosting SEO ranking, and propelling your business forward.
This comprehensive guide equips you with the knowledge and strategies to transform your website into a speed demon, leaving your competitors in the dust and keeping your audience thrilled with a seamless experience.
Dominate the Mobile Battlefield: Conquering the 8.6-Second Threat
The modern web is dominated by mobile browsing. A staggering 83% of smartphone users now expect websites to load in three seconds or less. However, the average mobile website takes a sluggish 8.6 seconds to load, creating a frustrating user experience and a golden opportunity for your optimized website to shine.
Here are actionable steps to conquer the mobile landscape and supercharge your site speed:
- Image Optimization: compress images without sacrificing quality using tools like TinyPNG.
- Minify Code: Eliminate unnecessary characters and whitespace from your website’s code, resulting in faster loading times.
- Leverage AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages): Implement Google’s AMP framework for lightning-fast mobile experiences.
Become a Google Search Engine Darling: The 1.65-Second Club
Cracking Google’s first page is a coveted achievement for businesses of all sizes. Here’s a secret many don’t know: website speed is a critical ranking factor. Studies reveal that websites ranking on Google’s coveted first page boast an average load time of a mere 1.65 seconds.
Here’s how to become a Google speed demon and zoom past your competition:
- Caching: Implement browser caching to store website data on visitors’ devices, accelerating subsequent visits.
- Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): Utilize CDNs to geographically distribute your website’s content, ensuring lightning-fast delivery for global audiences.
- Reduce Server Response Time: Work with your web hosting provider to optimize server performance and minimize response times.
The Three-Second Threshold: Keeping Users Engaged and Ecstatic
Patience is a virtue, but it’s a rare commodity online. A whopping 40% of users will abandon a website that takes longer than three seconds to load. This translates to lost leads, missed sales opportunities, and a hemorrhaging bottom line.
Here’s how to keep users glued to your website and ecstatic about the experience:
- Prioritize Above-the-Fold Content: Ensure critical content loads first, keeping users engaged while the rest of the page populates.
- Lazy Loading: Implement lazy loading for images and videos, delaying their loading until they appear in the user’s viewport, improving initial page load times.
- Optimize Plugins: Regularly update plugins and remove unused ones to prevent them from bogging down your website’s performance.
Turn Website Speed into a Conversion Machine
The impact of website speed extends far beyond user experience. Studies reveal that pages taking one to two seconds to load have a 9% bounce rate, while those taking five seconds experience a skyrocketing 38% bounce rate. Furthermore, for every additional second of loading time, conversion rates decrease by an average of 2.11%.
Here’s how to turn website speed into a conversion machine and watch your sales soar:
- High-Quality Visuals: While important, prioritize image quality that doesn’t compromise loading times. Consider using vector graphics for icons and illustrations.
- Streamline the checkout process: reduce the number of steps and eliminate unnecessary information requests during checkout to minimize user abandonment.
- Mobile-Friendly Design: Ensure a seamless user experience across all devices, especially mobile, where users are more likely to abandon slow websites.
By implementing these strategies, you can transform your website from a sluggish load-time liability into a conversion powerhouse, keeping users engaged and delighted, driving sales, and propelling your business to new heights. Remember, in the digital world, speed is king. So, unleash the power of website optimization and watch your online presence take flight.
