Myth: lazy-load every image to go faster

Myth: lazy-load every image to go faster

Lazy loading means an image only downloads when you scroll near it — smart for photos far down the page. The advice "add it everywhere" sounds tidy, but it backfires.

The correction: your biggest above-the-screen image is usually your LCP (Largest Contentful Paint — the moment the main content finishes painting). Lazy-loading that one tells the browser to wait, so it loads late and your LCP gets slower.

How to fix it:
— Open the page and find the largest thing visible before scrolling (often a hero banner).
— Make sure that image has loading="eager" or no loading attribute at all.
— Keep loading="lazy" only for images below the fold.

Try this: view your page source and search for "lazy" — if your hero image has it, remove it. Think of lazy loading like saving dessert for later, not skipping breakfast.