Average Page Load Time of Top Ranking Websites in Google - Data Analysis of the Results
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The Excel analysis file (refer to the download link provided in the earlier section) shows the following important stats:
N (sample size) = 36
Observed Mean = 11.832 seconds
Standard deviation= 6.147 seconds
%confidence level to be used = 95%
Below is the distribution of these measurements:
The above chart shows roughly that the 36 measured samples result in an average loading time that falls between 7 seconds and 13 seconds (that is where those vertical bars in the graphs are tall).
However, to really estimate the population's true average loading time (entire websites ranking in the first position in Google), you need to use some statistical tools to estimate the true average. In statistics this is called “confidence interval of the mean” and is discussed here: http://www.itl.nist.gov/div898/handbook/eda/section3/eda352.htm
If you enter the statistics we observed from the 36 samples, you will arrive at a result that says the true mean of all of the websites' average loading time should be: 9.82 seconds – 13.84 seconds at 95% confidence level.
The above range means that if all position 1 websites in Google are measured (there will be many, which is why it is called a “population” and not a “sample”), the average should be somewhere between 9.82 seconds to 13.84 seconds website loading time.
It is also interesting to measure the upper statistical control limit which is the borderline (maximum) of the website's loading time. The formula will be:
Statistical maximum = Average + Standard deviation
Based on the results, the average measurement is 11.832 seconds while the standard deviation is 6.147 seconds. Therefore the statistical maximum will be:
Now that you have all the data and analysis results, it is time to use the information from it to consider improving your actual website loading time. The following are the conclusions and recommendations based on the results:
1. If your website's average loading time (measured using the methodology discussed in the earlier section) is between 9.82 seconds and 13.84 seconds, then your website URL loading speed is on the “average.” You may or may not improve further as you wish.
2. If your website's average loading time is below 9.82 seconds, your website is loading VERY fast as compared to the average websites ranking in Google at Position 1. You do not need to improve in this case.
3. If your website average loading time falls somewhere 13.84 seconds and 17.98 seconds, your website loading speed is below average. In this case, you will need to improve further to make your website load faster.
4. Now if your website has an average loading time of more than 17.98 seconds, it is VERY slow. In this case, you will lose a lot of visitors, and that affects your sales and conversion. In this scenario, you will have to make drastic technical improvements to your website in order to make it load faster.
There are several tools that can make your website load faster. These are beyond the scope of this article. Although below you will find useful guides:
Google Optimization 
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