LCP Issues – How To Fix LCP That is Longer Than 4 Seconds?

What is Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)?

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is a Core Web Vital metric that measures how long it takes for the largest visible content (image, text, or video) to fully load on a webpage.

Why is LCP Important?

• 🚀 Better User Experience – Faster load times improve engagement.
• 📈 SEO Ranking Boost – Google prioritizes fast-loading pages.
• 💰 Higher Conversions – Slow sites lose visitors & potential sales.

What Causes Poor LCP Scores?

An LCP time above 4 seconds negatively affects performance. The most common reasons include:
❌ Slow Server Response Times – The server takes too long to deliver content.
❌ Render-Blocking Resources – Unoptimized CSS/JavaScript delays loading.
❌ Large Image Files – Uncompressed images slow down LCP elements.
❌ Client-Side Rendering Delays – Too much JavaScript processing.
❌ Unoptimized Fonts – External fonts slow page rendering.

How to Fix LCP That Takes Longer Than 4 Seconds?

1️⃣ Optimize Server Response Time (TTFB)

• Use a fast hosting provider like Cloudways, SiteGround, or Kinsta.
• Enable caching (server-side & page caching).
• Reduce the number of third-party scripts & plugins.
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to distribute content faster.

2️⃣ Minimize Render-Blocking Resources

• Defer JavaScript & CSS loading (use async & defer attributes).
• Enable critical CSS loading to prioritize above-the-fold content.
• Remove unused third-party scripts (Facebook Pixels, chat widgets, etc.).

3️⃣ Optimize Images for Faster LCP

• Convert images to Next-Gen Formats (WebP, AVIF).
• Compress images using TinyPNG, ShortPixel, or Smush.
• Implement lazy loading to load images only when needed.

4️⃣ Improve LCP by Reducing JavaScript Execution Time

• Minify JavaScript & CSS files.
• Use browser caching to reduce load requests.
• Remove unnecessary animations or JavaScript-heavy elements.

5️⃣ Optimize Web Fonts & Reduce FOUT/FOIT Issues

• Use system fonts instead of custom Google Fonts.

How to Check LCP Performance?

🔹 Google PageSpeed Insights – Identifies slow LCP elements.
🔹 Chrome DevTools – Use the Performance tab to measure load times.
🔹 WebPageTest & Lighthouse – Provides detailed LCP diagnostics.

Recommended LCP Performance Score:

✅ Good LCP: Below 2.5s
⚠️ Needs Improvement: 2.5s – 4s
❌ Poor LCP: Above 4s

Final Thoughts

Improving Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is crucial for faster load times, better user experience, and higher Google rankings. By optimizing your server, images, JavaScript, and fonts, you can significantly boost your website’s speed.

🚀 Ready to fix your LCP issues? Contact us today at [email protected] and let’s boost your website speed! 🚀