Why Website Speed Is More Important Than Ever in 2026 Website speed has always mattered for user experience, but in 2026 it matters for an additional reason: Google's Core Web Vitals are a confirmed ranking factor, and the gap between fast and slow sites in search rankings has widened measurably. Sites that score 90+ on Lighthouse Performance consistently outrank equivalent content with lower scores, all else being equal. Equally important, the rise of AI-powered search — where AI summarizes con