A high TTFB usually points to weak hosting or a lack of caching. It is the foundation of a fast website and depends heavily on your hosting provider.
What does this mean in practice?
TTFB (Time to First Byte) is the time between the moment the browser sends a request and the moment the first byte of the server's response arrives. It shows how quickly the server starts to respond, before anything appears on screen.
Why does this matter for your business?
A high TTFB slows down everything that comes after it. No amount of image optimisation can make up for that. It is usually caused by weak hosting, no caching or a server that is far away.
Examples and best practices
- According to Google, a good TTFB is below roughly 0.8 seconds.
- Turn on page caching on the server.
- Choose hosting with servers close to your customers.
- Limit heavy database queries.
How we do it at Ikoon
A fast TTFB starts with good hosting. That's why every Ikoon website runs on our fast hosting with maintenance, including SSL, daily backups and updates, for €35 per month. That's the foundation for the rest of the speed.