Comprehensive data and insights into how page speed affects user experience, conversions, and search rankings

1.9s average time for a page to load on mobile devices
53% of users leave if page load takes more than 3 seconds
2.5s Googles’s Core Web Vitals threshold for page load speed
7% conversion loss for every 1 second delay
In 2025, website performance has become more critical than ever for business success. With user expectations continuing to rise and Google’s Core Web Vitals playing an increasingly important role in search rankings, understanding the latest load time statistics is essential for any business with an online presence.
Recent data shows that the average website takes 1.9 seconds to load on mobile devices (Google’s Chrome user experience report (CrUX), 2025), and most users now demanding load times under 2 seconds before feeling frustrated and at risk of leaving the website.
Whether you’re running an e-commerce store, a corporate website, or a content platform, page speed directly impacts your bottom line through conversion rates, search engine rankings, and user satisfaction.
The average website takes 1.9 seconds to load on mobile and 1.7 seconds on desktop (Google CrUX, 2025).
53% of mobile users abandon a site if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load (Site Builder Report, 2025).
47% of smartphone users now expect websites to load in 2 seconds or less, down from 4 seconds in previous years (Site Builder Report, 2025).
A 1-second delay in page load time results in a 7% reduction in conversions, 11% fewer page views, and 16% decrease in customer satisfaction (Reboot Online, 2025).
Only 57.8% of websites achieve good Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) scores according to Google’s Core Web Vitals (NitroPack, July 2025).
83% of customers say the experience a company provides is as important as its products and services (NitroPack, July 2025).
Websites that load in 1 second have conversion rates 2.5x higher than those loading in 5 seconds (Blogging Wizard, July 2025).
The global average e-commerce conversion rate ranges between 2-4%, with desktop achieving 3.9% compared to mobile’s 1.8% (MobiLoud, July 2025).
Time to First Byte (TTFB) averages 0.8 seconds on mobile and 0.6 seconds on desktop (DebugBear, May 2025).
South Korea leads global performance with 1.5 seconds average mobile load time, whilst the USA ranks 52nd with 1.9 seconds (DebugBear, May 2025).
Google’s Core Web Vitals have evolved significantly in 2025, with Interaction to Next Paint (INP) officially replacing First Input Delay (FID) in March 2024 (NitroPack, July 2025). The current Core Web Vitals metrics that determine your website’s performance score are:
Measures loading performance. The largest single item on the page should render within 2.5 seconds. Currently, only 57.8% of websites achieve this threshold.
Measures how quickly the page responds to a user clicking or tapping on a link.
Measures visual stability. A low score indicates the page doesn’t move after it initially loads. A bad score indicates page content ‘jumps’ as it loads.
These metrics are crucial for both user experience and SEO. As WordPress development specialists, we’ve seen firsthand how optimising Core Web Vitals can dramatically improve both search rankings and conversion rates for our clients.
Business Impact: The Economic Times improved their CLS by 250% and LCP by 80%, resulting in a 43% reduction in bounce rates overall (NitroPack, July 2025).
With mobile-first indexing now the standard, mobile performance has become the primary factor in search rankings and user experience. The statistics paint a clear picture of the mobile performance landscape in 2025:
Average mobile load time: 1.9 seconds globally, with the UK performing slightly better at 1.8 seconds (DebugBear, May 2025)
User expectations: 47% of users expect load times under 2 seconds, a significant tightening from the previous 4-second expectation (Site Builder Report, 2025)
Abandonment rates: 53% of users leave if a mobile site takes more than 3 seconds to load (Site Builder Report, 2025)
AMP performance: Accelerated Mobile Pages load 4x faster than regular mobile pages (Amra & Elma, July 2025)
For businesses serious about mobile performance, implementing a comprehensive WordPress health audit can identify critical performance bottlenecks that may be costing you customers and search rankings.
| Rank | Country | Average Load Time | Key Factors |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Korea | 1.5 seconds | Advanced infrastructure, 5G adoption |
| 30 | Germany | 1.7 seconds | Strong European infrastructure |
| 30 | Canada | 1.7 seconds | Robust network infrastructure |
| 52 | United States | 1.9 seconds | Large geographic area, varied infrastructure |
| 73 | China | 2.1 seconds | Massive scale, infrastructure development |
The relationship between page speed and business performance has never been clearer. In 2025, the financial impact of slow-loading websites continues to grow as user expectations rise and competition intensifies.
Conversion rate difference: Sites loading in 1 second achieve conversion rates 2.5x higher than those taking 5 seconds (Blogging Wizard, July 2025)
Desktop vs mobile: Desktop conversion rates average 3.9% compared to mobile’s 1.8%, partly due to performance differences (MobiLoud, July 2025)
Per-second impact: Each additional second of load time reduces conversions by 7% (Reboot Online, 2025)
Global averages: E-commerce conversion rates range between 2-4% globally, with significant variation by industry (Amasty, June 2025)
For e-commerce businesses, investing in WooCommerce development and performance optimisation can yield immediate returns through improved conversion rates and reduced cart abandonment.
Case Study: Agrofy, an online marketplace, improved their LCP score by 70%, which correlated with a 76% drop in load abandonment (from 3.8% to 0.9%) (NitroPack, July 2025).
Reduction in page views for every 1-second delay in load time
Decrease in customer satisfaction for each additional second
Increase in bounce rate probability when load time goes from 1-3 seconds
Google’s emphasis on user experience has made page speed an increasingly important ranking factor. The introduction of Core Web Vitals as part of the Page Experience update has fundamentally changed how websites are evaluated for search rankings.
For businesses looking to improve their search visibility, our WordPress development solutions provide professional performance optimisation that directly impacts search rankings.
Google’s Page Experience algorithm combines several factors to evaluate user experience:
Understanding how your website performs compared to global benchmarks is crucial for competitive positioning. The 2025 data reveals significant variations in performance across different regions and industries.
Website performance varies dramatically by geographic location, influenced by factors such as internet infrastructure, device capabilities, and network conditions:
| Region | Average Load Time | TTFB | Key Challenges |
|---|---|---|---|
| Europe (UK) | 1.8 seconds | 0.8 seconds | High user expectations |
| North America (US) | 1.9 seconds | 0.8 seconds | Geographic scale, varied infrastructure |
| Asia (South Korea) | 1.5 seconds | 0.6 seconds | Leading 5G adoption |
| Africa (Average) | 3.8+ seconds | 1.5+ seconds | Infrastructure limitations |
User expectations for website performance have continued to tighten in 2025, driven by improved technology, faster networks, and increased digital literacy. Understanding these expectations is crucial for maintaining competitive advantage.
The most significant shift in 2025 has been the move from a 4-second to a 2-second expectation threshold:
Different industries face varying performance expectations based on user context and competition:
Achieving optimal website performance in 2025 requires a comprehensive approach that addresses all aspects of the user experience. Based on the latest data and best practices, here are the most effective strategies:
Focus on the three key metrics that Google uses to evaluate user experience:
When performance issues become critical, our project rescue services can quickly identify and resolve the bottlenecks affecting your Core Web Vitals scores.
With mobile performance being the primary ranking factor, prioritise mobile optimisation:
Performance optimisation is an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and adjustment:
The data from 2025 makes a compelling case for investing in website performance. With 83% of customers saying experience is as important as products and services (NitroPack, July 2025), performance optimisation is no longer optional—it’s a business imperative.
ROI Calculation: If your e-commerce site generates £1 million annually with a 2% conversion rate, improving load time by 1 second could increase conversions by 7%, potentially adding £70,000 in additional revenue.
The evidence is clear: faster websites generate more revenue, achieve better search rankings, and provide superior user experiences. In an increasingly competitive digital landscape, performance optimisation represents one of the highest-impact investments you can make in your online presence.
Whether you need comprehensive WordPress development or specialised performance optimisation, investing in speed improvements will pay dividends through improved user satisfaction, higher conversion rates, and better search engine visibility.
As a WooCommerce Pro Partner and WordPress VIP Agency Partner, Kanuka Digital specialises in creating optimised e-commerce experiences that convert browsers into buyers and maximise your revenue potential.
Drop us a line on 01785 279985
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