Site speed plays a direct role in both user satisfaction and search engine rankings. In a fast-paced world, online visitors expect pages to load within seconds—especially if they’re quickly comparing local businesses on their mobile devices. A slow-loading site can lead to high bounce rates, signalling to Google that your page might not be meeting user expectations. For local businesses in Essex, competition can be fierce, with many shops and services vying for the same audience. A fast site not only keeps potential customers engaged but also gives you a competitive edge in local searches. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights help identify what’s slowing you down—unoptimised images, excessive scripts, or inefficient code. By addressing these issues through caching, compression, and streamlined design, you not only improve your search visibility but also create a smoother, more enjoyable experience for customers who are just seconds away from bouncing elsewhere.