: Does Google value DOMContentLoaded or Load Time more as a ranking signal I am working on a project to improve the performance of my sites web pages and by removing render blocking CSS and

@Megan663

Google only uses the initial page load time (without CSS, JS, and images) as an explicit ranking signal. Google only explicitly penalizes very slow sites. If your site takes more than 7 seconds for the the initial HTML page, Google will de-rank your site until the performance of your server improves.

Faster load time of pages contributes to better user experience. Google will indirectly ranks sites better when they load quickly because the pages satisfy more visitors. When your site is fast fewer visitors hit the back button to the results and click on a competitor or revise their search.

Users only care that the page is usable. That typically means that you should pay attention to the dom loaded event. Anything that is "above the fold" and visible to users without scrolling should be loaded by that time. Anything below the fold can be lazy-loaded: it will enhance the perceived performance.

For SEO, you generally want your site to be usable in under three seconds. Improving the site to that point can give a nice SEO boost. Improving performance more can be great for your visitors. It can get you increased interaction and sales. However, it doesn't usually lead to better Google rankings.

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