How Wix’s Slow Speed Damages Your Local Search Rankings

At Lillian Purge, we specialise in Local SEO Services and reveal How Wix’s slow speed damages your local search rankings to show the direct impact site speed has on local SEO success.

When I look at the local websites that struggle the most to gain visibility on Google, many of them have something in common. They are built on Wix. In my opinion Wix is a convenient platform for beginners and small businesses because it is easy to use and offers amazing design tools, wix websites look absolutely stunning but the one issue I see repeatedly is speed. Wix sites often load more slowly than websites built on other platforms and in my experience slow speed has a direct, damaging impact on local search rankings. Google wants to show users fast, reliable websites and when your site loads slowly your local visibility can suffer even if your content is strong.

This article explains why Wix websites often run slowly, how that slow speed affects your rankings, why this is especially harmful for local SEO and what you can do if you are currently using Wix. My aim is to give a clear and honest perspective based on what I have seen across hundreds of websites for solicitors, trades, gyms, accountants, restaurants and other small businesses.

Why Website Speed Matters for Local SEO

Google has made it clear for years that page speed is a ranking factor. When a website loads slowly users leave quickly which increases bounce rate, reduces engagement and sends negative signals to Google. For local businesses this is even more serious because most local searches happen on mobile, often with weaker connections.

In my experience when a website loads in more than three seconds:

• users abandon the page

• local conversion rates drop

• Google reduces your visibility

• your Google Business Profile receives fewer website clicks

Local search is competitive. When someone searches “solicitor near me” or “builder in Bedford” Google chooses the websites that give the best user experience. If two businesses offer similar services but one has a slow website Google will almost always favour the faster one.

Why Wix Websites Are Often Slower Than Other Platforms

I want to be fair here. Wix has improved a lot over the years but in my opinion and based on what I have tested, it still struggles to match the speed performance of platforms like WordPress or Webflow. There are several reasons for this.

1. Heavy code

Wix websites are built using large amounts of auto generated code. This code is convenient for beginners but it makes pages heavier and slower to load.

2. Reliance on third party apps

Many Wix users add apps for contact forms, pop ups, analytics or design features. Each app loads additional scripts which slows the site further.

3. Limited control over optimisation

Unlike WordPress where you can compress images, remove unused scripts or fine tune performance, Wix gives very little technical control. You can only optimise within the limits of their system.

4. Render blocking resources

In my experience Wix websites often load unnecessary scripts before important content which delays the visible part of the page.

5. Poor LCP and CLS scores

Metrics like Largest Contentful Paint and Cumulative Layout Shift are often weak on Wix. These scores matter because they directly influence search rankings.

These issues may not seem obvious when building your site but they become very noticeable when you test your site on Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse.

How Slow Wix Speed Pushes You Down the Local Rankings

Local SEO relies heavily on user experience. When your website loads slowly it harms every part of your local visibility. I have broken this down based on what I have repeatedly seen in real campaigns.

Slow websites increase bounce rate

If users click your site from Google then leave immediately, Google views this as a sign that your site did not satisfy their intent. This pushes your rankings down.

Slow speed hurts mobile search

Most local searches happen on the go. If a mobile page takes too long to load the user gives up instantly. Google notices this behaviour and lowers your local visibility.

Slow sites reduce conversions

Local searches often have high intent. People are ready to call, book or request a quote. A slow site turns this into frustration which reduces enquiries.

Slow speed harms your Google Business Profile performance

Google uses engagement signals from your website to decide how often to show your profile. Slow sites reduce engagement which weakens your map rankings.

Slow sites discourage repeat visits

People remember slow websites. If they have a bad experience they are unlikely to return which harms your brand and long term visibility.

Slow speed reduces time on site

Google rewards sites where users stay longer and engage with content. When a site loads slowly users do not even get that far.

In my experience local businesses running on Wix often lose rankings not because of content or backlinks but simply because their site speed is below Google’s expectations.

How Wix’s Slow Speed Affects Local Pack Visibility

Ranking in the local pack the three visible listings on Google Maps is incredibly valuable for small businesses. I believe slow websites harm your chances of appearing here because Google wants to show businesses that give users the best possible experience.

Here are the specific ways slow speed affects your local pack ranking:

• fewer people click from your Google listing to your website

• Google sees weak engagement and lowers trust

• users quickly return to Google which sends negative signals

• Google prioritises faster competitors

• your ranking radius may shrink meaning you show up in fewer nearby areas

In my opinion Wix’s speed issues make it much harder for local businesses to appear consistently in the local pack, even when they follow all other SEO best practices.

Slow Speed Damages EEAT and Trust Signals

Google increasingly relies on EEAT which stands for Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trustworthiness. While website speed is not officially part of EEAT, in my experience speed affects trust indirectly.

A slow website:

• feels unreliable

• looks outdated

• suggests the business is not well maintained

• discourages users from exploring important content

• reduces review generation because users leave early

I believe slow speed makes a business look less professional which harms both trust and conversion rates.

Why Google Cares So Much About Speed for Local Searches

Google’s priority is user satisfaction. When someone searches for a local business Google wants them to find the best result quickly. Speed affects this in several ways:

• people searching locally want fast information

• mobile searchers expect instant load times

• slow pages create a poor user experience

• Google sees slow pages as lower quality

In my experience Google tests websites constantly in the background to evaluate their performance. If your site is slow most of the time Google will gradually move you down the rankings.

How to Check If Your Wix Site Is Slow

You can check your performance using tools like:

• Google PageSpeed Insights

• GTmetrix

• WebPageTest

• Lighthouse

Every Wix site I have tested has shown:

• low page speed scores

• render blocking scripts

• poor mobile performance

• slow server response times

• heavy page weight

If your Wix site scores poorly in these tools Google is already noticing the same issues.

What You Can Do If You Want to Stay on Wix

If you do not want to move platforms yet there are ways to reduce the damage, although in my experience these improvements are limited.

Here is what I would recommend:

compress and resize images

Large images slow down page loading significantly.

remove unnecessary apps

Every app loads extra scripts which slow down performance.

simplify your layout

Fancy design features often harm speed more than they help conversion.

use lighter fonts and fewer animations

These reduce loading time.

check your mobile layout

Mobile performance matters more than desktop.

While these steps help a little they rarely bring Wix to the speed levels that Google prefers.

Why Moving to a Faster Platform Can Transform Local Rankings

I have seen many local businesses switch from Wix to platforms like WordPress, Webflow or Shopify (for ecommerce) and Squarespace and experience instant gains. Faster platforms allow:

• better speed optimisation

• complete control over code

• faster hosting

• fewer render blocking issues

• better Core Web Vitals performance

After migrating, many businesses report:

• higher map rankings

• more website clicks

• longer user engagement

• more calls and enquiries

• better conversion rates

In my opinion moving to a faster platform is one of the most effective improvements a local business can make.

Why Wix Is Fine for Beginners but Limiting for Growth

I do not believe Wix is a bad platform. It is ideal for people who need something quick and uncomplicated especially when they have no experience building websites. The problem is that most local businesses outgrow Wix far sooner than they expect. Once you need strong local rankings, faster speed, better technical control or the ability to scale your content properly, Wix begins to feel restrictive.

One of the biggest limitations I have seen is the way Wix handles pages. You only get around 100 standard pages before Wix starts forcing everything else into dynamic pages. These dynamic pages sit inside what Wix calls a dataset or dynamic group. The issue is that every page within the same dataset must share the same meta description structure and the URLs become longer because they are attached to the group. This makes SEO more difficult because you lose the ability to optimise each page individually. In my opinion this is a serious limitation for any business that wants to build content clusters or publish regular blog style resources for local SEO.

Another problem is that every extra page you add tends to slow the site down even more. Wix already has speed challenges because of its heavy code structure, but as the page count grows the performance usually gets worse. I have seen businesses lose ranking potential purely because their site becomes too big for Wix to handle efficiently.

But above all the thing that frustrates me the most is the backend editing experience. When I am adding content on Wix I feel like I spend more time staring at loading screens and waiting for the editor to catch up than I do actually working on the website. It slows down productivity so much that building content becomes a chore. For a platform that sells itself on simplicity, the amount of lag in the editor is one of the main reasons I recommend businesses move away from Wix as they grow.

In my experience Wix is best for:

• very small businesses

• early stage passion projects

• temporary landing pages

• people who have no interest in SEO

It becomes limiting when:

• you want to publish more than 100 pages

• you need full control of meta titles and descriptions

• you rely on Google for leads

• you want short, clean URLs

• your business grows and demands better speed

• you want to build content clusters for local SEO

For businesses that plan to grow, these limitations become significant obstacles. That is why I believe Wix is fine for beginners but rarely suitable long term for anyone serious about visibility and performance.The Impact of Speed on Conversions and Revenue

Local SEO is not only about traffic. It is about attracting real customers. When your site is slow you lose enquiries that you never even knew existed. I have seen businesses double their lead flow simply by fixing speed issues.

Slow sites create:

• fewer calls

• fewer quote requests

• fewer form submissions

• fewer sales

Fast sites create:

• more engagement

• more trust

• more conversions

In my experience site speed has a direct impact on revenue especially for service based businesses.

How Slow Wix Sites Affect Paid Advertising Too

Even if you run ads a slow website reduces the ROI dramatically. When people click your ad and land on a slow page they leave immediately which wastes your budget. I have had clients who improved their site speed and reduced their cost per lead purely because users stayed longer and converted more often.

A slow site damages:

• Google Ads performance

• Meta retargeting

• landing page experience

• conversion rates

Speed matters everywhere not just in organic SEO.

Why I Believe Speed Will Matter Even More in the Future

Google continues to improve its algorithm with more weight on performance, user satisfaction and Core Web Vitals. I believe speed will become an even stronger ranking factor because user expectations keep rising. People want instant access to information and Google aims to deliver it.

In the future I expect:

• stricter performance benchmarks

• more penalties for slow mobile pages

• better ranking rewards for fast sites

• more emphasis on user behaviour signals

Local businesses need to stay ahead of this trend.

A Simple Test That Shows the Problem Clearly

If you want to see how much speed matters, compare these two situations:

Site A loads in two seconds
Users stay, interact and convert.

Site B loads in six seconds
Users give up and press back which tells Google the site is poor.

I have seen this difference transform rankings and conversions within weeks.

The Reality of Using Wix When You Rely on Local Rankings

When I look at everything together I believe the biggest issue with Wix is not the design or the usability but the speed. Slow performance damages your local rankings, reduces your visibility in the map pack and weakens the trust customers feel when they land on your website.

In my experience businesses that rely on local search usually reach a point where Wix limits their growth. Faster platforms offer more control, better performance and stronger long term results. I do not believe every business must leave Wix immediately but I do believe that any business that wants serious local SEO results should consider the impact that slow speed has on ranking potential.

We have also written in depth articles on Migrating from Wix for Better Local SEO: How & Why to Move to WordPress or Webflow and How to Build a Wix Website as well as our Wix Hub to give you further guidance.