In a recent study conducted by DigitalSilk, a well known web design company, it was discovered that particular websites stand out as being exceptionally fast-loading within the United States. The three websites leading the pack in terms of loading speed are Craigslist, Wikipedia, and Zillow. This research aimed to assess the loading times of these popular websites across both desktop and mobile platforms.

Craigslist emerged as the winner in terms of loading speed, boasting an impressive average loading time of just 1.35 seconds. This swiftness was consistent across multiple devices, with mobile users experiencing a loading time of 2.0 seconds and desktop users enjoying an almost instantaneous loading time of 0.7 seconds.

Following Craigslist, the crowd-sourced online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, secured the second position with an average load time of 1.40 seconds. Impressively, mobile users encountered a slightly longer load time of 1.6 seconds, while desktop users enjoyed a quick 1.2-second wait.

The real estate platform Zillow rounded out the top three, presenting an average load time of 1.5 seconds. Much like Wikipedia, Zillow exhibited minimal variations between desktop and mobile loading times, with mobile users encountering a load time of 1.6 seconds and desktop users experiencing a mere 1.2-second wait.

An interesting twist in the tale was provided by The New York Times, which claimed the title for the fastest mobile load times among the top 10 websites, with an incredibly fast 1.3-second loading time. Overall, The New York Times secured the fourth position in the DigitalSilk rankings, boasting an average load time of 1.55 seconds. This was on par with Amazon, which also posted impressive results, with a mobile load time of 1.5 seconds and a desktop load time of 1.6 seconds.

The U.S. Postal Service followed closely behind with an average load time of 1.60 seconds. Other websites in the top 10 list included Realtor.com (1.70 seconds), eBay (1.75 seconds), Weather.com (1.75 seconds), Worldstar.com (1.80 seconds), DuckDuckGo (1.85 seconds), and Fandom.com (1.90 seconds).

Gabriel Shaoolian, CEO, and founder of DigitalSilk, emphasizing the utmost significance of swift website loading times, he stressed users’ anticipation for a seamless and nearly instantaneous browsing experience, a standard successfully achieved by these leading websites. This study undeniably highlights the crucial contribution of web performance and loading times to the prosperity of businesses.

This information aligns with multiple studies conducted since 2009, which have demonstrated a direct correlation between page load times and user behavior. Faster-loading web pages have been found to lead to increased conversion rates. For instance, Amazon estimated in 2009 that every 100 milliseconds of latency on its site reduced sales by 1%. Additionally, a 2021 study by Vodafone indicated that a 31% improvement in Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) resulted in an 8% increase in sales.

In summary, the study by DigitalSilk highlights speedy loading times, with Craigslist, Wikipedia, and Zillow leading. This underscores the critical role of website performance for businesses. Fast loading correlates with higher conversion rates, as evident in past studies.