Why speed matters more than ever
Google's Core Web Vitals update made page speed a direct ranking factor. For local businesses competing in "near me" searches, this isn't optional—it's survival.
The stack that delivers 0.4s loads
Next.js 15 with App Router
We use Next.js because it gives us the best of both worlds:
- Static Generation for pages that don't change (About, Services)
- Server-Side Rendering for dynamic content
- Edge Runtime for global distribution
Vercel Edge Network
Your site isn't served from one server—it's replicated across 100+ edge locations worldwide. When someone in Overland Park loads your site, they're hitting a server in Kansas City, not Virginia.
Tailwind CSS (JIT Mode)
Traditional CSS frameworks ship hundreds of KB of unused styles. Tailwind's JIT compiler only includes the exact CSS your site uses. Result: 10-15KB stylesheets instead of 300KB+.
Image Optimization
Next.js Image component automatically:
- Converts to WebP/AVIF
- Generates responsive sizes
- Lazy loads below-fold images
- Serves from CDN
Real numbers from real sites
Our financial advisor demo site metrics:
- First Contentful Paint: 0.4s
- Largest Contentful Paint: 0.8s
- Time to Interactive: 1.1s
- Total Blocking Time: 12ms
Compare that to the WordPress average for financial services: 8-12 seconds LCP.
The SEO advantage
Fast sites don't just convert better—they rank better. We've seen clients jump 15-20 positions in local search within 60 days of launching a new Next.js site, with no other SEO changes.
Speed is the foundation. Everything else builds on top.
