Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. If your site loads slowly, you're losing both rankings and customers. Here's what to check.
What are Core Web Vitals?
Core Web Vitals are three metrics Google uses to measure user experience: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). In simple terms: how fast does your page load, how quickly can users interact with it, and does the layout jump around?
Why it matters for business
A 1-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by 7%. For a business website getting 1,000 visitors a month, that's potentially 70 lost leads every month — just because your site is slow.
The most common culprits
Unoptimized images are the #1 cause of slow websites. A single 5MB hero image can tank your LCP. Other issues: too many JavaScript files, no caching, cheap hosting, and bloated page builders.
How to check your speed
Go to PageSpeed Insights (free from Google). Enter your URL. You'll get a score and specific recommendations. If you're below 90 on mobile, you have work to do.
The fix
Compress images to WebP format, use a CDN, enable caching, minimize JavaScript, and use a good hosting provider. For most small business sites, these changes alone will get you to 90+.