How to Improve Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

How to improve Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how long it takes for the main content on your page to load. This is usually your hero image, headline, or a large block of text. A fast LCP helps visitors feel like your page is loading quickly, even if other elements are still rendering.

Google recommends an LCP of 2.5 seconds or faster. Anything slower can lead to higher bounce rates and lower search rankings.

What Causes a Poor LCP Score?

Several common issues can slow down your LCP:

  • Large or unoptimized hero images
  • Slow server response times
  • Render-blocking JavaScript or CSS
  • Heavy page builders or bloated themes
  • Too many third-party scripts

How to Improve LCP

1. Optimize Your Hero Image

Since the hero image is often the LCP element, optimizing it can dramatically improve load times. Use:

  • Modern formats like WebP
  • Properly sized images (no oversized files)
  • Compression tools to reduce file size
  • Lazy loading for below-the-fold images

2. Improve Server Response Time

Slow hosting is one of the biggest contributors to poor LCP. Upgrading your hosting plan or switching to a faster provider can make a major difference.

Learn more: How Hosting Impacts Website Performance

3. Remove Render-Blocking Resources

JavaScript and CSS files that load before your main content can delay LCP. You can improve performance by:

  • Minifying CSS and JavaScript
  • Deferring non-critical scripts
  • Inlining critical CSS

Learn more: Optimizing JavaScript & CSS

4. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A CDN delivers your content from servers closer to your visitors, reducing load times and improving LCP.

5. Preload Important Assets

Preloading your hero image or key fonts tells the browser to load them sooner, improving perceived speed.

How to Measure LCP

You can measure LCP using tools like:

  • Google PageSpeed Insights
  • Google Search Console
  • WebPageTest
  • GTmetrix

Learn more: Tools for Testing Website Performance

Need Help Improving Your LCP Score?

If your website’s main content loads slowly or you’re unsure how to optimize images, hosting, or code, I can help you improve LCP and create a faster, more engaging experience for your visitors.

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