Website Speed & Performance Optimization

What does the speed optimization include?

• A full PageSpeed audit of your key pages, on mobile and desktop
• Image compression and optimization, with images sized for how they are actually shown
• Code minification where it is safe to do
• Core Web Vitals improvements aimed at loading, layout shift and responsiveness
• Caching setup where your platform allows it
• A speed report with before and after numbers

Why does website speed matter for a local business?

Many people look up a local business on a phone, often on a mobile connection, and a page that takes too long to show anything loses them before they read a word. Google measures real-world loading and interaction with its Core Web Vitals. The published good thresholds are a Largest Contentful Paint of 2.5 seconds or less, Interaction to Next Paint of 200 milliseconds or less and Cumulative Layout Shift of 0.1 or less. Speed is one of many signals Google uses, so a faster site is no promise of higher rankings, but it removes a reason for visitors to leave.

How is this different from the $149 speed tune-up?

The Shopify Speed & Core Web Vitals Tune-Up is $149 and focuses on image compression, lazy-loading and cleanup of render-blocking code, with a Core Web Vitals check. This $249 service is the more thorough option: it adds a full PageSpeed audit, code minification, caching setup and a before and after report that shows what changed. Choose the tune-up for a quick clean-up, and this service when you want the full audit and a record of the results. Our speed services comparison sets the two side by side.

What can and cannot be fixed?

Some speed drag comes from third-party apps, embedded widgets or the platform itself, and it cannot always be fully removed. We do what is safe on your pages and list anything outside our control in your report, so you know which apps or features are still slowing the site down. We work on Shopify sites, which is what we build on. If your site runs on another platform, ask before you order.

How does it work?

1. Order on this page. You can pay in full or choose the 50% deposit option at checkout.
2. Give us access to the site and tell us which pages matter most to your business.
3. We run the audit and record the before numbers.
4. We compress and resize images, minify code, set up caching where possible and fix the Core Web Vitals issues we can.
5. We re-test and send the before and after report.

We do not publish a fixed turnaround, because it depends on the size of the site. Ask on the contact page about timing.

Related: How fast should a website load?, Website Care plans and every price, listed.

Frequently asked questions

How much does Website Speed & Performance Optimization cost?

It is a one-time fee of $249 for new clients and $174 for AI Website Design clients, meaning businesses whose website we build or have built. The client price can only be chosen once you are logged in and verified as a client. You can pay in full or choose the 50% deposit option at checkout. It includes a full PageSpeed audit, image compression, code minification, caching setup, Core Web Vitals work and a before and after report.

What is in the before and after report?

It shows the PageSpeed and Core Web Vitals numbers for your key pages before we started and after we finished, so you can see exactly what changed. It also lists what we did, such as which images were compressed and what code was minified, and any remaining drag we could not remove, such as a third-party app or embedded widget, with a note on what it would take to deal with it.

Will a faster site rank higher on Google?

We cannot promise that. Google uses page experience, including Core Web Vitals, as one of many signals, and the relevance and quality of your content matter more. What speed does reliably is keep more visitors on the page, especially on phones. A slow site gives people a reason to leave before they call or book, and fixing that helps whatever traffic you already have.

Should I choose this or the $149 tune-up?

Choose the $149 Shopify Speed & Core Web Vitals Tune-Up if you want a quick clean-up of images, lazy-loading and render-blocking code with a Core Web Vitals check. Choose this $249 service when you want the full PageSpeed audit, code minification, caching setup and a before and after report that records the results. Both are one-time services, and neither is a monthly plan.

Can every speed problem be fixed?

Not always. Some drag comes from third-party apps, chat widgets, embedded videos or the platform itself, and removing it can mean removing a feature you rely on. We do what is safe on your pages and flag the rest in your report, so you can decide whether an app is worth what it costs in speed. Nothing is removed from your site without your approval.

Is ongoing speed monitoring included?

No. This is a one-time service. Ongoing speed work is part of the Website Care plans: Website Care Plus at $149 a month includes a monthly speed tune-up for sites of up to 15 pages, and the larger plans add more hours and monitoring. A common approach is to run this optimization once, then keep the site fast month to month through a care plan.