In today’s fast-paced online world, there’s no room for a slow website. With Google’s algorithm favoring responsive sites, speed has become an increasingly important factor in determining your website’s success.
One key area that website owners must focus on is reducing first input delay (FID). But what exactly is FID? And how can you measure and fix it? Let’s break it down.
What is First Input Delay?
First input delay refers to the time it takes for a website to respond after a user interacts with it. For example, if a user clicks on a button or types in a search field, FID measures the time between the user’s action and the website’s response.
FID is essential because a delay in response time can lead to a poor user experience and, ultimately, a drop in search engine rankings. In fact, Google has recently included FID as a ranking factor, meaning that it can impact your website’s visibility and potential traffic.
Measuring First Input Delay
To measure FID, you need to use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or WebPageTest. These tools will analyze your website and provide you with a report detailing its performance and any areas for improvement.
As a general rule, FID scores should be less than 100 milliseconds, and anything above that indicates a need for improvement. The lower the number, the better the user experience will be.
How to Improve First Input Delay?
Now that you know what FID is and how to measure it, the question is, how can you reduce it? Here are a few tips:
1. Minimize JavaScript and CSS:
By reducing the amount of JavaScript and CSS on your website, you can significantly improve your FID score. This is because these scripts take time to load, and by streamlining them, you’re reducing the processing time required for your website to respond.
2. Use Asynchronous Loading:
Asynchronous loading is a technique that allows the browser to load scripts without blocking the rendering of the page. By implementing this technique, you’re reducing the time required for the website to respond, resulting in a better user experience.
3. Optimize Images and Videos:
Optimizing the images and videos on your website is another way to reduce response time. By compressing these files, you’re reducing the time it takes for them to load, resulting in a smoother experience for your users.
4. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN):
A CDN is a global network of servers that copies your website’s content and stores it in different locations around the world. When a user accesses your website, the CDN provides them with the nearest server, reducing the response time required for your website to respond.
Conclusion
First input delay is a crucial metric that website owners must focus on if they want to provide their users with a better experience. By reducing your FID score, you’re not only improving your website’s performance but also boosting its search engine rankings. So, be sure to implement the tips mentioned above and keep FID in mind when designing and optimizing your site.
We want to thank the thought leader Patrick Stox as the source for this content and such awesome teachings on the subject, and we hope that this article can help you and your business! Here’s the link to his post https://ahrefs.com/blog/first-input-delay-fid/
