Lazy loading in SEO: how does it work?

Through our SEO Agency Optimize 360

Lazy Loading

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When it comes to SEO, optimising images is often a key element in improving a site's performance.

In this article, we'll explain what Lazy Loading is and how it can help optimise your site.

Discover the 10 essential points to understand this technique.

1. What is Lazy Loading?

Le Lazy Loadingalso known as lazy loading, is a technique that allows images on the site to be loaded only as the user scrolls down the page. Images located "off screen" will not be loaded until the user reaches their level in the page. The main aim is to speed up the loading speed of the page while saving server and user browser resources.

2. Optimising loading times

By loading only the images visible on the screen, the loading time of a page is considerably reduced. This is particularly useful for pages containing a lot of images or multimedia content. In fact, even if a user scrolls quickly down the page, Lazy Loading will continue to load only the images needed as the page progresses, thus preventing the site from slowing down.

3. Improving the user experience

Fast-loading sites offer a high level of best user experienceThis is because Internet users are less likely to leave a site that loads quickly. What's more, with Lazy Loading, browsing is much smoother and more pleasant for the user. Access to information is also easier, because you don't have to wait for all the images to load before you can start viewing the content.

4. Saving bandwidth

Lazy loading is an effective solution for saving bandwidth. Visitors can enjoy the most relevant content without using up their data unnecessarily. This method is particularly beneficial for users with a limited Internet connection or even mobile connections, which are often subject to a monthly quota.

5. Reduced server response time

Lazy loading considerably reduces the load on servers. A page using this technique places less demand on the server to retrieve images, with each loading request taking up fewer resources to process. The direct consequence of this is improved response times and more efficient load distribution.

6. Improving search engine crawling

Lazy loading can also have a positive impact on your site's SEO. With pages that load more quickly, the indexing robots have less difficulty browsing your site. This guarantees better indexing of your content and therefore greater visibility on search engines.

7. Easy to use

Implementing this technique is generally fairly easy, whether by adding a library JavaScript or via extensions for various content management systems (CMS) such that WordPress or Joomla. Numerous tutorials are available online to help with the integration of Lazy Loading, depending on the method chosen.

8. Consideration of technical criteria

However, there are a number of points to bear in mind when using this technique. For example, it is necessary to correctly adapt the HTML of your images and manage their "src" and "data-src" attributes properly. Otherwise, this can cause display problems or malfunctioning of Lazy Loading. You must also take care not to compromise the site's accessibility for people using assistive technologies.

9. Mobile version and responsive design

When implementing Lazy Loading, it is essential to think about mobile versions of your site. These versions are often even more susceptible to loading and performance problems, due to the hardware limitations of mobile devices and the use of slower networks. Lazy Loading must therefore be adapted to work properly whatever the browsing device used.

10. Potential disadvantages

Despite its many advantages, Lazy Loading is not without its drawbacks. Indeed, some images may not be detected by search engines if they are located outside the visible on initial loading. There may also be display problems on some older browsers or operating systems. However, these problems are rare and can be resolved with the right configuration.

In conclusion, it is undeniable that Lazy Loading offers many advantages in terms of performance, user experience and SEO. Nevertheless, it should be used with care and attention should be paid to any problems that may arise during its implementation. As long as these precautions are taken, Lazy Loading will be an invaluable ally in optimising your site and improving its SEO.