Page Speed
How quickly a page loads. Affects both rankings and user behaviour.
Page speed is the time it takes for a web page to load and become fully functional for a user. It is a critical factor in both search engine rankings and user conversion rates. For care home websites, page speed is particularly vital as families often search for care on mobile devices, sometimes in stressful situations where a slow-loading page adds significant friction and may lead them to abandon the site in favour of a faster competitor.
Since 2018, Google has used page speed as a ranking factor for mobile searches. In 2021, this was expanded through the introduction of Core Web Vitals, which provide specific metrics for measuring different aspects of speed and user experience. A site that loads quickly signals quality to Google and provides the smooth experience that users expect.
The primary causes of slow page speed on care home websites are unoptimised, high-resolution images, heavy use of third-party scripts, such as tracking pixels or chat widgets, and inefficient hosting. Addressing these issues, particularly by correctly sizing and compressing images and managing script loading, can dramatically improve load times without requiring a complete website redesign.
Improvements in page speed have a direct correlation with conversion rates. Studies consistently show that even a one-second reduction in load time can lead to a measurable increase in the number of users who stay on the site and complete an enquiry form. In the competitive care sector, speed is a competitive advantage that is often overlooked.