What is LCP and How to Fix It? (Complete WordPress Guide)
What is LCP and How to Fix It? (Complete WordPress Guide)
Published on November 11, 2024 Last Updated on June 19, 2025
Written by
Morgan Frank - Specialist in Page Speed
Is your WordPress website taking too long to load? You might be losing visitors before they even see your content. That’s where LCP comes in – it’s one of the most important factors that determines how quickly your visitors can actually see and interact with your website.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about LCP, from understanding what it is to making your website lightning-fast. Whether you’re new to website speed optimization or looking to improve your existing site, we’ve got you covered.
Key Takeaways
Here’s what we’ll explore:
What is LCP? Get a simple, clear understanding of LCP and why Google cares about it
Why LCP Matters for Your Website Discover how loading speed affects your visitors
Understanding LCP in WordPress Learn what affects your WordPress site’s loading speed
Checking Your Site’s LCP Score Simple steps to measure and track your site’s performance
Common Speed Bottlenecks Identify what’s slowing down your website
Essential Speed Improvements Three key ways to make your site faster
Advanced Performance Solutions Take your site’s speed to the next level
Ready to make your website faster? Let’s start with understanding exactly what LCP is and why it matters for your site’s success
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) measures how quickly the main content of your webpage becomes visible to visitors. Think of it like opening a magazine LCP is how long it takes to see the main picture or headline on the page.
In most WordPress websites, your LCP element might be:
Your header image
A featured image in your blog post
Your main headline
A product image on your shop page
Google suggests your LCP should be:
Good: Under 2.5 seconds
Needs Improvement: Between 2.5 and 4 seconds
Poor: Over 4 seconds
Imagine loading a blog post:
1.0s The page starts loading
1.5s Navigation menu appears
2.0s Main headline shows up
2.3s Featured image appears → This is your LCP
3.0s Rest of the content loads.
Why Google Care (And Why You Should Too)
Google cares about LCP because it reflects what your visitors experience. When someone visits your site:
Fast LCP = They see your content quickly = Happy visitor
Slow LCP = They wait for content = Frustrated visitor
Think of LCP as your website’s first handshake with a visitor. A firm, quick handshake (fast LCP) makes a great first impression. A slow, delayed handshake (poor LCP) might make them turn away.
The Good News
The best part? You don’t need to be a technical expert to improve your LCP or you can try our RapidLoad Plugin. In the following sections, we’ll show you exactly how to:
Check your current LCP score
Understanding what’s affecting your speed
Make your website faster
Keep it performing well
Why LCP Matters for Your Website?
You already know what LCP is – now let’s talk about why it’s so important for your website. This isn’t just about pleasing Google; it’s about creating a better experience for your visitors.
Impact on User Experience
Imagine walking into a store where everything is hidden behind a curtain, and it takes several seconds for that curtain to lift. Frustrating, right? That’s exactly how visitors feel when your website’s main content loads slowly.
Our data shows:
53% of visitors leave if a website takes more than 3 seconds to load
First impressions are formed in just 0.05 seconds
Most visitors decide to stay or leave in under 2 seconds
Connection to Website Performance Comparison Table
LCP directly affects how people interact with your website
Good LCP (Under 2.5s)
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Poor LCP (Over 4s)
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Visitors stay longer
More pages viewed
Lower bounce rates
Better engagement
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High abandonment rates
Fewer page views
Frustrated visitors
Lost opportunities
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Mobile Experience Importance
With more people using phones to browse websites, mobile loading speed is crucial:
Mobile users are often on slower connections
They’re typically more impatient than desktop users
Poor mobile experience affects your website’s reputation
Google primarily looks at mobile performance
Search Ranking Benefits
Google has made it clear: site speed affects your search rankings. Here’s why LCP matters:
It’s a core part of Google’s Page Experience signals
Better LCP often means better rankings
Faster sites appear more professional
Speed gives you an edge over slower competitors
Understanding LCP In Your WordPress Site
Now that you know what LCP is and why it matters, let’s look at how it works specifically in WordPress. Your WordPress site has unique elements that affect how quickly visitors see your content.
2 Key Elements Affecting LCP
Your WordPress site’s LCP usually comes from one of these elements:
Header Area
Hero images
Welcome text
Slider images
Logo (if it’s large)
Content Area
Featured post images
Product photos (for WooCommerce)
Large text blocks
Video thumbnails
Think of these elements as the “main actors” on your page – they need to appear quickly to keep your audience engaged.
How Your Content Loads for Visitors
Let’s focus on what actually happens with your WordPress content:
First Impressions Matter
Visitors decide to stay or leave in seconds
Your main content needs to grab attention quickly
Different visitors see different loading speeds
Loading Behavior
Mobile visitors might see slower loading than desktop
Different browsers can show different loading patterns
Your visitor’s location affects how fast they see content
Common Loading Issues
Sometimes images appear before text
Headers might load after main content
Sidebar content could delay your main content
Checking Your Site’s LCP Score
Just like a health check-up helps you understand your well-being, checking your site’s LCP score helps you understand your website’s performance.
In this section, we’ll show you exactly how to measure your site’s speed, understand the results, and know what they mean for your website’s health.
Remember the last time you waited for a website to load? Your visitors feel the same way. By checking your LCP score, you’ll see your site through their eyes. The best part? You don’t need any technical expertise to do this – we’ll guide you through the process step by step.
Simple Measurement Methods
The easiest way to check your LCP score:
1. Visit PageSpeed Insights
Enter your website address
Go to PageSpeed Insights (it’s free!)
Click ‘Analyze’
What You’ll See:
A score from 0-100
Color-coded results (red, yellow, or green)
Specific LCP timing
Mobile and desktop results
Reading Your Performance Report
Let’s break down what the numbers mean:
Green (Good)
LCP under 2.5 seconds
Your site is performing well
Visitors see content quickly
Yellow (Needs Improvement)
LCP between 2.5- 4 seconds
Room for improvement
Some visitors might leave
Red (Poor)
LCP over 4 seconds
Urgent attention needed
High risk of losing visitors
Mobile vs Desktop Performance
Why check both?
Mobile speeds often differ from desktop
Most visitors use mobile devices
Google mainly looks at mobile performance
Different connection speeds affect loading
Common Speed Bottlenecks
Every website can hit a speed bump. Let’s look at the most common reasons why your WordPress site might be loading slowly and what these bottlenecks mean for your visitors.
Typical WordPress Slowdowns
Remember trying to run too many apps on your phone? Your WordPress site works similarly. Here are the usual suspects that slow things down:
1. Heavy Images
Those beautiful, high-resolution images? They might be too big
Uploading images straight from your camera without optimization
Using the wrong image format
Too many large images above the fold
2. Theme Performance Factors Your theme is like your website’s engine. Some common theme-related slowdowns:
Complex theme builders
Fancy animations and effects
Too many font variations
Heavy homepage layouts
Plugin-Related Delays
Think of plugins like apps on your phone – the more you have, the slower things get:
Running too many plugins
Outdated plugins
Poorly coded plugins
Plugin conflicts
Signs of plugin problems:
Page speed drops after installing new plugins
Specific features load slowly
Admin panel becomes sluggish
Content Loading Issues
How your content loads matters tremendously:
Large video files
Unoptimized fonts
Too many sliders
Heavy scripts loading before content
Quick Check: Is This Slowing Your Site?
Do you have images larger than 1MB?
Are you using more than 20 plugins?
Does your theme have lots of animations?
Are you using multiple sliders?
Do you have many font variations?
3 Essential Speed Improvements
You’ve identified what’s slowing down your site – now let’s fix it! Here are proven ways to speed up your WordPress site without getting lost in technical complexities.
1. Smart Image Optimization
Think of images like moving boxes – the lighter they are, the faster they move:
Compress all images before uploading
Use the right image sizes for each location
Choose modern formats like WebP
Enable lazy loading for images below the fold
Pro Tip: You don’t need the highest quality for every image – find the sweet spot between quality and size.
2. Clean Plugin Management
Keep your plugins in check with these steps:
Remove all inactive plugins
Keep only the essential ones you really need
Regular updates are crucial
Choose lightweight alternatives when possible
Ask yourself: “Do I really need this plugin, or is there a simpler way?”
3. Effective Caching Setup
Caching is like having a saved copy of your website ready to go:
Enable browser caching
Use a reliable caching plugin
Clear cache after major changes
Set appropriate cache duration
Remember: These three improvements often make the biggest difference in your site’s speed. Start with these, and you’ll see significant improvements in your LCP scores!
Advanced Performance Solutions
Let me break down each solution with more detailed explanations and practical tips.
Hosting Optimization
Think of your hosting as your website’s foundation. Here’s a deeper look at why it matters:
Server Location
Choose servers in regions where most of your visitors are
Example: If 70% of visitors are from Europe, use European servers
Multiple server locations can serve different regions better
Resource Allocation
Dedicated resources vs shared hosting
RAM: At least 2GB for basic WordPress sites
CPU: Look for plans with dedicated CPU cores
Storage: SSD storage is much faster than traditional HDD
PHP Version
PHP 8.0+ offers significant speed improvements
Up to 30% faster than PHP 7.2
Better memory usage
Enhanced security features
Database Optimization
MariaDB offers better performance than older MySQL
Regular database cleanup
Proper table optimization
Efficient query caching
Content Delivery Network (CDN)
A CDN spreads your content globally for faster delivery:
How It Works
Copies your static content (images, CSS, JS)
Stores copies in multiple locations worldwide
Automatically serves from the nearest location
Reduces main server load by 60-70%
Key Features to Look For
Image optimization built-in
DDoS protection
SSL support
Real-time analytics
Bandwidth controls
Critical Path Optimization
This is about serving the most important content first:
Render-Blocking Resources
Identify blocking CSS and JavaScript
Load critical CSS inline
Defer non-essential JavaScript
Prioritize visible content
Resource Prioritization
Load headers and navigation first
Defer below-fold images
Preload key resources
Use async loading where possible
Remember: Each of these solutions works best when implemented together. They create a comprehensive performance strategy for your WordPress site.
Pro Tips:
Start with hosting optimization – it’s your foundation
Determined to change that, he built RapidLoad — a smart, AI-driven tool that empowers site owners to dramatically improve speed scores, enhance user experience, and meet Google’s Core Web Vitals without needing to touch a single line of code.