By Joe Harnett, BKA Digital · Updated 5 November 2026 · 5 minute read
The key findings
In November 2026 we tested the websites of 140 Bath businesses using Google’s own PageSpeed Insights mobile test, and checked each homepage for the basics customers rely on. Most people look a business up on their phone before they get in touch, so we wanted to know how Bath’s websites hold up on one.
77%
are rated “poor” by Google on a phone, taking over 4 seconds to show their main content
7.4s
is how long the typical Bath business website took to show its main content on a phone
38%
took more than 10 seconds
10%
scored “good” (90 or more) on Google’s mobile performance test
44%
have no tap-to-call link, so a customer on a phone can’t simply tap the number
1 in 3
sites showing a copyright year are out of date, some still saying 2012
We also found that 13% of the Bath businesses we looked at on Google Maps (39 of 307) have no website at all.
Slowest and fastest sectors
Average Google mobile performance score by sector, out of 100. A score of 90 or more is rated good; under 50 is rated poor.
- Personal trainers55
- Estate agents62
- Dentists62
- Roofers65
- Builders65
- Electricians68
- Florists70
- Accountants71
- Garages72
Based on 125 completed tests across nine sectors.
Trades did better than average on one point: 26% of roofer, builder, electrician and garage websites had no tap-to-call link, compared with 44% across all sectors.
Why it matters
A slow or awkward website on a phone costs a business enquiries before the customer has read a word. People searching for a local service usually compare a few options quickly, and the one that loads, looks current and is easy to call tends to get the call.
Speed also feeds into how Google judges a page. Google’s own guidance sets 2.5 seconds as a good time for a page’s main content to appear, and treats anything over 4 seconds as poor. 89% of the sites we tested were slower than 2.5 seconds.
Five quick fixes for any Bath business
- Test your own site free at pagespeed.web.dev and choose the Mobile result.
- Shrink large photos before uploading them. Oversized images are the most common reason a small business website is slow.
- Make your phone number a tap-to-call link, so mobile visitors can ring you in one tap.
- Update the copyright year in your footer and check your opening hours, address and prices are current.
- Make sure your Google Business Profile links to your website, and the details on both match.
Want us to check your website?
We’ll look at your site on a phone and tell you, in plain English, what’s slowing it down.
How we did the research
- On 4 November 2026 we took 307 businesses listed on Google Maps in Bath across 16 everyday categories.
- We tested 140 of their websites; 125 completed Google’s speed test. The tested sites cover nine sectors: personal trainers, roofers, builders, electricians, garages, accountants, florists, estate agents and dentists.
- Speed figures come from Google PageSpeed Insights’ mobile test, which simulates a mid-range phone on a 4G connection. We tested each homepage once, so individual results can vary from day to day.
- The other checks (secure connection, tap-to-call link, copyright year and so on) read each homepage’s code.
- No business is named. The full anonymised data is available to journalists on request.
Media enquiries: Joe Harnett, director of BKA Digital, on 07769 763621 or hello@bkadigital.com.