The 8 Second Rule

If your webpage hasn't loaded within 8 seconds, chances are your users are history.

The need for speed is a key factor on the Internet. Whether users are on a high-speed connection or a low-baud rate dial-up modem, everyone on the Internet expects speed.

Furthermore, recent studies show that if your webpage hasn't loaded within eight (8) seconds of a request, your users likely won't stick around.

Whether your site is down or too much content is loading doesn't matter to the average user, if they can't access your information within seconds, they'll find it elsewhere.

To account for various modem and transfer speeds, see the comparison chart below of typical load times.

Typical Load Times

Typical Web-Page (20 to 30kb)

Load Times (In Seconds)

Note: These figures are average approximations for standard connections and typical connection speeds!