Technical Seo
Lazy Loading
A technique that delays loading non-critical resources (usually images and videos) until they're about to enter the user's viewport. Instead of loading everything at once, content loads on demand as the user scrolls.
Why Lazy Loading Matters for SEO
Lazy loading significantly reduces initial page load time and bandwidth usage by only loading what the user actually sees. It's especially impactful on long pages with many images. But applied incorrectly, it can hurt LCP and prevent search engines from seeing your content.
How Lazy Loading Works
Native lazy loading uses the loading="lazy" attribute on images and iframes. The browser monitors the scroll position and triggers loading when elements approach the viewport. JavaScript-based solutions using IntersectionObserver offer more control. Critical above-the-fold images should never be lazy loaded.
Common Mistakes
- Lazy loading the hero/LCP image, which should load eagerly
- Using JS-based lazy loading that prevents search engines from discovering images
- Lazy loading all images including those visible in the initial viewport
Want to go deeper?
Read the full guide: Page Speed SEO →
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