{"id":2491,"date":"2025-06-23T07:41:46","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T06:41:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/?p=2491"},"modified":"2025-06-24T10:43:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T09:43:23","slug":"speed-up-your-small-business-website-with-fetchpriorityhigh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/2025\/06\/speed-up-your-small-business-website-with-fetchpriorityhigh\/","title":{"rendered":"Speed Up Your Small Business Website with fetchpriority=”high”"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 5<\/span> minutes : <\/span><\/span>

Speed Up Your Small Business Website with fetchpriority=”high”<\/h1>\n

If you’ve got a small business website, you probably want it to load fast, look good, and keep visitors happy. No one likes staring at a blank screen while a website struggles to load. One little trick that can help is using something called fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code> on your images. This post is a little technical and sounds a bit techy, but don\u2019t worry \u2014 this blog will try to break it down in plain English.<\/p>\n

What Is fetchpriority<\/code> and Why Should You Care?<\/h2>\n

Right, so let\u2019s start with the basics. When someone visits your website, their browser (like Chrome or Safari) has to download all the stuff on the page \u2014 text, images, scripts, styles, the lot. It does this in a certain order, depending on what it thinks is most important.<\/p>\n

But sometimes, the browser gets it wrong. For example, it might wait too long to load your main image \u2014 the big one at the top of your homepage that sets the first impression. That\u2019s where fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code> comes in.<\/p>\n

This bit of code tells the browser, \u201cOi, this image is important. Load it early!\u201d It\u2019s like jumping the queue at a coffee shop because you\u2019ve only ordered a black coffee while everyone else wants triple caramel lattes. ?<\/p>\n

How Do You Use fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code> on an Image?<\/h2>\n

It\u2019s actually super easy. You just pop it into the image tag like this:<\/p>\n

<img src=\"hero-image.jpg\" alt=\"Our brilliant handmade soap\" fetchpriority=\"high\"><\/code><\/pre>\n
That\u2019s it! Nothing fancy. You\u2019re just adding a little hint to the browser saying, \u201cHey, load this one early.\u201d<\/p>\n
Why Should a Small Business Website Care About This?<\/h2>\n
Now you might be thinking, \u201cMy site\u2019s only got a few images. Does this really matter?\u201d And the answer is yes, it can. Here\u2019s why:<\/p>\n
1. First Impressions Matter<\/h3>\n
If your homepage has a big banner image or product shot right at the top, and it takes ages to appear, people might think your site is broken or slow. And they\u2019ll bounce. Literally \u2014 they\u2019ll leave before reading anything.<\/p>\n
2. Mobile Users Are Impatient<\/h3>\n
Most people browse on their phones now. If they\u2019re on a dodgy 4G connection, a slow image can drag down the whole page load time. Making sure key images load first helps keep things snappy.<\/p>\n
3. It Can Help Your Core Web Vitals<\/h3>\n
Google uses a thing called Core Web Vitals<\/strong> to measure how fast and smooth your site is. One of those metrics \u2014 LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) \u2014 checks how fast the biggest thing on your page loads. If that\u2019s an image and you use fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code>, you could improve your score. And that means better rankings in Google.\u00a0 For example, adding fetchpriority=”high” to the “hero image” on clients site took the Lighthouse speed score on their home page from\u00a0 81\/100 to 95\/100<\/p>\n
When Should You Use fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code>?<\/h2>\n
Okay, so you don\u2019t want to go slapping it on every image. That\u2019s a bit like shouting \u201cME FIRST!\u201d in every situation \u2014 not polite, and not helpful. Here\u2019s when it actually makes sense:<\/p>\n
Use it on your hero image<\/h3>\n
If you\u2019ve got a big image right at the top of your homepage or landing page, that\u2019s a perfect time to use fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code>. This is usually the first thing people see, so it\u2019s worth loading it fast.<\/p>\n
Use it on images above the fold<\/h3>\n
\u201cAbove the fold\u201d is just a fancy way of saying what people see before they start scrolling, it comes from printed newspapers where they (especially the broadsheets) were folded half-way down the page, so anything visible when you look at the folded paper was was “above the fold”. Any important images in that area might deserve a priority boost.\u00a0 Remember that the “fold” changes depending on the device that you are using as it depends on the size of the screen.<\/p>\n
Use it when LCP is an image<\/h3>\n
If you run a site speed test (like PageSpeed Insights) and it says your Largest Contentful Paint is an image, then adding fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code> to that image is a smart move.<\/p>\n
When You Shouldn\u2019t Use fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code><\/h2>\n
This part\u2019s just as important. Overusing this feature can backfire and slow things down. Seriously. You can confuse the browser and make it load the wrong stuff first.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t use it on every image<\/h3>\n
If you stick fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code> on five images, the browser won\u2019t know which one\u2019s the real priority. It\u2019ll waste time figuring it out, and you\u2019ll lose all the speed gains.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t use it on images below the fold<\/h3>\n
If an image isn\u2019t visible until someone scrolls down the page, it\u2019s not urgent. Let the browser load it later \u2014 don\u2019t push it to the front of the queue.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t use it on lazy-loaded images<\/h3>\n
If you\u2019re using lazy loading (which delays loading images until they\u2019re needed), then adding fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code> makes no sense. It sends mixed signals \u2014 you’re saying, \u201cload this late\u201d and \u201cload this early\u201d at the same time. The browser will get confused and might just do\u2026 nothing.<\/p>\n
Examples of Good and Bad Usage<\/h2>\n
Good Example<\/h3>\n
<img\r\n  src=\"\/images\/top-banner.jpg\"\r\n  alt=\"Welcome to our candle shop\"\r\n  width=\"1200\"\r\n  height=\"600\"\r\n  fetchpriority=\"high\"\r\n  loading=\"eager\"\r\n><\/code><\/pre>\n
This image is probably your homepage hero image. You\u2019ve given it a width and height (which helps layout), you\u2019ve told it to load early (loading=\"eager\"<\/code>), and you\u2019ve set fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code>. All good!<\/p>\n
Bad Example<\/h3>\n
<img\r\n  src=\"\/images\/testimonial-avatar.jpg\"\r\n  alt=\"Customer profile photo\"\r\n  loading=\"lazy\"\r\n  fetchpriority=\"high\"\r\n><\/code><\/pre>\n
This one\u2019s wrong. You\u2019re telling the browser to be lazy and fast at the same time. Pick one! Since it\u2019s a small image further down the page, just leave it as loading=\"lazy\"<\/code> and skip the fetchpriority bit.<\/p>\n
What If You\u2019re Using WordPress or a Website Builder?<\/h2>\n
If you\u2019re using WordPress, Wix, Squarespace, or something similar, you might not see the actual image code. But some themes and plugins do give you control. Here\u2019s what to look for:<\/p>\n
    \n
  • WordPress devs can add fetchpriority in the image HTML block manually<\/li>\n
  • Some performance plugins let you mark the hero image for early loading<\/li>\n
  • Page builders like Elementor or Divi sometimes let you set loading behaviour<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
    If you\u2019re not sure, ask your web developer or support team. ?<\/p>\n
    Does It Actually Make a Difference?<\/h2>\n
    In most cases, yes \u2014 but only for that one key image. It won\u2019t turn your website into a speed machine all by itself, but it helps get the most important content in front of your visitors quicker. That alone can reduce bounce rates, improve user experience, and even give your SEO a small boost.<\/p>\n
    Think of it like tidying the front of your shop before opening. It\u2019s not the whole job, but it sets the tone.<\/p>\n
    Other Tips for Speeding Up Images<\/h2>\n
    While you\u2019re here, let\u2019s quickly go over a few more image tips to make your site fly:<\/p>\n
      \n
    • Use the right format:<\/strong> WebP or AVIF are smaller and faster than JPEG or PNG.<\/li>\n
    • Resize your images:<\/strong> Don\u2019t upload a 5000px image if it\u2019s only going to be shown at 800px wide.<\/li>\n
    • Compress your files:<\/strong> Use a tool like TinyPNG to shrink image size without losing quality.<\/li>\n
    • Lazy load non-critical images:<\/strong> Keep the focus on what matters most first.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
      Wrapping It Up<\/h2>\n
      So there you have it! fetchpriority=\"high\"<\/code> is a small but powerful little tip that can make a difference on your small business website. Just use it wisely \u2014 only on the most important image near the top of the page \u2014 and you\u2019ll help your visitors get to the good stuff faster.<\/p>\n
      In a world where every second counts, especially online, this kind of tiny tweak can go a long way. And the best part? It\u2019s free, simple, and takes about 10 seconds to add.<\/p>\n
      Got questions? Need help with your site? Pop them in the comments or give us a shout \u2014 we\u2019re always happy to help small businesses shine online!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
      Reading Time: <\/span>  5<\/span> minutes : <\/span><\/span>Speed Up Your Small Business Website with fetchpriority=”high” If you’ve got a small business website, you probably want it to load fast, look good, and keep visitors happy. No one likes staring at a blank screen while a website struggles to load. One little trick that can help is using something called fetchpriority=”high” on your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,5,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2491","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business-advice","category-computers","category-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2491","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2491"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2491\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2491"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2491"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.forestsoftware.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2491"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}