Optimization of Google PageSpeed, Core Web Vitals and loading times for a higher conversion rate: Why a fast loading time is essential for customer loyalty and increased sales.
The first impression counts
Most website traffic from new users comes from organic Google searches, social media platforms, external links or paid ad campaigns.
When visiting a website for the first time, the user experience may be suboptimal because the browser cannot provide cached resources.
The first impression is of crucial importance: if the loading time is too long on the user’s first visit, there is a risk that the user will never see a version cached by the browser, as they will not stay on the page any longer. In general, there is a clear relationship between the loading time of a website and the associated bounce rates. These bounce rates often correspond directly with the conversion rates. In practice, this means that an efficient and fast website can help to increase user loyalty and consequently conversions. It is extremely unsatisfactory if users leave the website due to unreasonably long loading times despite considerable advertising investments to acquire them.
Difficulties for website crawlers
It can also be a challenge for website crawlers to index websites that are characterized by a slow loading time or use intensive, client-side rendering and JavaScript. This can negatively affect the visibility and findability of your website. It is therefore crucial to identify and fix such problems in order to ensure optimal indexing and thus a better ranking in Google’s search results.
Analysis of user data
The effectiveness of user retention can be evaluated using various metrics in a web tracking tool such as Google Analytics. This includes dwell time, session duration, number of pages per session and user flow. These key figures provide information on how well the website is able to retain and retain visitors.
Connection between PageSpeed and bounce rate
The user flow data enables you to recognize the bounce rate of the pages visited. It is important to identify the specific parts of the visit where users leave the site. This information should then be linked to the measurement data for the loading speed of the website.
It is important to understand that Google PageSpeed has a direct influence on the bounce rate. If the website loads slowly, users have less patience and leave the site more quickly. This leads to a higher bounce rate. Accordingly, a fast page with good Core Web Vital values and a high PageSpeed can reduce the bounce rate, as users do not have to wait as long and are therefore more likely to stay on the page.
User experience and user engagement
An optimal user experience (UX) is crucial for the success of a website. A key factor here is the rapid execution of repeated charging processes. Fast and intuitive navigation also plays a key role. These measures improve the user experience and thus promote the success of the website. The Core Web Vital key figures First Input Delay (FID) and Interaction to Next Paint (INP) are directly related to this.
Why is PageSpeed important for the conversion rate?
Increasing the conversion rate on the website is closely linked to a positive user experience and high user engagement. There are also other aspects that should be taken into account: Users appreciate websites that are characterized by fast loading times of the hero images, rapid rendering and clear labeling of the call-to-action buttons. Another expectation is responsive design compatibility for all end devices. They also attach importance to avoiding layout shifts (Cumulative Layout Shift as an important Core Web Vital KPI).
A website visitor will not buy anything if they cannot click on the shopping cart button because the CPU is busy or the button is not labeled. Websites should therefore be regularly tested and optimized with regard to their loading time in order to improve the user experience and increase the conversion rate. To do this, you can measure the time to conversion or a sub-goal thereof and, for example, track the average time it takes website visitors to complete payment after they first visit a page and view a product.
The conversion rate on the first visit is only 2%. It is therefore important to encourage the remaining 98% of users to visit the website again. Google PageSpeed plays a decisive role here. This is because a fast website loading time can contribute to users returning and engaging more intensively with the content. A fast website not only loads quickly, but also offers a smooth user experience (UX). This increases the likelihood that visitors will return, be it through email sign-ups, personalized display ads or push notifications.
Conversions are the top priority in e-commerce
To achieve this goal, optimizing the speed of a website at every funnel stage is crucial. This minimizes both bounce rates and abandoned purchases. There are specific optimization measures for each stage.
Conclusion: The importance of PageSpeed for the success of a website
In conclusion, it can be said that Google PageSpeed is a decisive factor for the success of websites: score and loading times have a significant influence on the conversion rate. The faster a website loads, the better the user experience, which has a positive effect on the conversion rate. According to studies, users leave a page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Improving the loading time can therefore lead to a higher conversion rate. Google PageSpeed Insights, webpagetest.org and gtmetrix.com, for example, are helpful tools for checking the speed of websites and identifying opportunities for improvement.
