A slow website quietly costs law firms clients – especially on mobile, where most legal searches happen. Google’s Core Web Vitals measure that experience, and they affect both rankings and conversions. Here is what matters.
The three Core Web Vitals
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – how fast the main content appears (aim under ~2.5s).
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – visual stability as the page loads.
- Interaction to Next Paint (INP) – how responsive the page feels.
Why it matters for law firms
An anxious client who waits five seconds for your site to load often leaves before it appears. Speed is the first trust signal, before a word is read. Test yours with our free website speed test.
Common fixes
- Compress images and serve modern formats.
- Reduce heavy plugins and scripts.
- Use good hosting and caching.
- Build mobile-first.
This article is part of Law Firm Websites & Conversion – our in-depth pillar guide for lawyers.
Read the full guide →Frequently asked questions
How fast should a law firm website be?
Aim for a Largest Contentful Paint under about 2.5 seconds on mobile and passing Core Web Vitals. Speed affects both Google rankings and whether visitors stay to enquire.
What are Core Web Vitals?
Google’s metrics for real-world page experience: Largest Contentful Paint (loading), Cumulative Layout Shift (visual stability) and Interaction to Next Paint (responsiveness).