How to optimize websites for fast loading and slow network speeds

There's a step prior, where things too often still go sideways:

0. Decide who your priorities are (i.e., hopefully users), stick to those priorities, and design an experience appropriate for the target.

Thinking like the brand and not the user too often leads to Step 1 trying to shove 20 lbs of experience into a 10 lbs pipe bag. This seems to be especially true of mobile, as in it's too often an afterthought.

> lazy-load images7 to only load images the user looks at

Yes, of course this helps but it's not a panacea. That payload still has to come down the pipe. Maybe the user isn't on 5G, and maybe they pay for data. Lazy load isn't an excuse for more. Lazy Load is who you call when you've done all you can to get less.