Page load time is a key performance metric for any website to ensure a positive user experience, it also influence a site’s search engine rankings.
Web page load time begins when a site visitor first initiates a request and stops when the page’s entire content is displayed within their browser.
In that time the following steps occur:
1. The visitor’s browser makes a request to your web server.
2. The server processes the request and sends a response back to the browser.
3. Upon receiving the requested page, the browser parses the code files (e.
- Round-trip time (RTT)
Measured in milliseconds, RTT is the duration from when a browser first sends out a request to when a response is returned.
• Factors influencing RTT
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1. physical distance between the visitor and server.
2. server traffic volume.
3. the number of intermediate nodes the request needs to pass through.
- Time to first byte (TTFB)
TTFB is the time taken for a browser to receive the first response byte from a server.
Precise definition of TTFB is the duration during which sufficient HTTP content loads before the browser can begin parsing it.
• Factors influencing TTFB
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1. network latency
2. server load time
3. server processing time
TTFB and RTT have been shown to be more prominent SEO ranking factors. Even a small reduction in TTFB can increase the chance a site will be found organically by potential visitors.