Follow the whole journey
Google breaks LCP into four parts: time to first byte, resource load delay, resource load duration and element render delay. A smaller download only addresses one part. A page can still wait on the server, discover an image late or delay showing content after the file has arrived.
Check discovery and rendering
Inspect the main image request in your browser’s network tools. Determine when it begins relative to the HTML response and when the element becomes visible. Google’s guidance emphasizes starting the LCP resource early and minimizing delays before rendering it.
Use a focused investigation
Our suggested worksheet has four columns: server response, request start, download completion and visible render. Record the evidence for the same page under consistent conditions. If the download is already brief, another round of compression may be less useful than investigating the remaining wait.
Check the experience after the fix
Confirm that the primary content is readable promptly on mobile and that navigation still works. Compare repeated runs rather than keeping only the best result. Retain the settings and measurements in your change log so the next optimization starts with evidence.
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