Effect snapshot

Intervention Increase page load time by ~1 second
Outcome Bounce rate
Effect 7–11 percent relative increase
Confidence estimate
Context Aggregated web performance studies, mobile landing pages

Sources

What changes

Slower first paint and interactive delay cause more users to leave before seeing the value proposition.

Where it hits hardest

  • Paid ad landing pages (high impatience, single intent)
  • Mobile networks with variable latency
  • Pages with heavy hero images and third-party scripts

Practical takeaway

Speed work is often higher leverage than button-color tests. Treat 7–11% bounce increase per +1s as a directional planning figure.