Web performance consulting for organisations that need business outcomes, not better scores.
Most performance optimisation focuses on metrics. My work focuses on decisions: which changes matter, which don't, and where engineering effort actually moves revenue, conversion or risk.
Strategic web performance consulting and fractional CTO services for C-level, Heads of Digital, Engineering and Product leaders at large organisations.
— Sander van Surksum, Web Performance Consultant
What I Do
I'm Sander van Surksum, a web performance consultant who works at the intersection of web performance, UX and business strategy.
Most companies know their websites should be faster. Very few know:
- Where slowness actually hurts their users
- Which performance problems cost real money
- What not to optimise
That's where I come in.
How I help organizations improve web performance:
- Identify the performance bottlenecks that matter (not vanity metrics)
- Translate Core Web Vitals into SEO, CRO and revenue impact
- Build prioritised performance roadmaps engineers can actually execute
- Provide fractional CTO services: Align roadmaps, unblock teams, and set technical strategy
- Create internal alignment between Engineering, Marketing and C‑level
Based in the Netherlands, working with organizations worldwide on web performance optimization, Core Web Vitals improvement, and technical leadership.
Selected Outcomes
Multi-brand retail group
A large multi-brand retail group was investing heavily in frontend performance improvements. Core Web Vitals looked acceptable, yet user experience and conversion remained inconsistent across brands and devices.
The issue wasn't page speed, but where optimisation effort was being applied. By segmenting performance by user journey and commercial impact, priorities shifted from global fixes to targeted decisions.
The outcome: fewer low-impact changes, clearer ownership across teams, and performance becoming a business discussion rather than a technical one.
Media organisation
A media organisation was investing in site-wide performance improvements. Despite this, key commercial pages remained slow and unpredictable.
The bottleneck wasn't the platform, but a third-party dependency blocking revenue-critical content. By reframing the problem from "site speed" to "revenue-critical paths", effort shifted to the real constraint.
The result: meaningful gains from a single decision, not months of incremental optimisation.
Insurance organisation
An insurance organisation was investing heavily in infrastructure to improve performance. Despite this, key pages remained slow and unstable for users.
Analysis showed the bottleneck wasn't hosting or scaling, but a client-side rendering model that delayed meaningful content. By shifting critical pages from client-side rendering to server-side rendering, performance improved immediately, without further infrastructure investment.
The pattern: focus beats optimisation.
Ready to turn performance into business outcomes?
Let's discuss how strategic performance work can impact your revenue, conversion, and team alignment.
Who I Work With
Primarily:
- Multinationals and enterprise brands
- Large e‑commerce platforms
- Organisations with complex stacks (React, SSR, Edge/Cloudflare, Observability & experimentation tools)
Typical stakeholders:
- C‑level and Digital Directors
- Heads of Engineering
- Product Managers
- Performance, SEO and CRO leads
My Approach
Most performance work fails because it starts with solutions. I always start with understanding user impact first.
My typical flow:
- 1. Reality check
Real User Monitoring, segmentation by device, country, page type and revenue impact.
- 2. Business translation
Correlating performance metrics with bounce, conversion and revenue.
- 3. Focus by subtraction
Explicitly deciding what not to optimise.
- 4. Actionable output
Clear user stories, priorities and trade‑offs.
No generic audits. No endless backlog lists.
Experience & Track Record
Over the years I’ve worked with and advised teams behind brands such as:
My work often results in:
- Engineering roadmaps aligned with business goals
- Faster team velocity and reduced technical complexity
- Sustainable performance culture across product & tech
- Measured impact on revenue and user retention
Looking for strategic web performance leadership?
Align roadmaps, unblock engineering teams, and set technical strategy without a full-time hire.
Iron/Out
FounderI deliver all consulting engagements through Iron/Out, my performance‑first consultancy focused on:
- Core Web Vitals at scale
- UX‑Score benchmarking
- Front‑end observability
- Performance business cases
Iron/Out works with some of the largest e‑commerce brands in Europe and contributes performance data and insights to industry rankings such as the Twinkle100.
Thought Leadership
Speaking & Advisory
- Conference speaker on web performance & product
- Strategic advisor for industry platforms
- Contributor to performance benchmarking methodology
What I’m Not
- I’m not a generic web agency
- I don’t sell one‑off Lighthouse audits
- I don’t optimise for scores without context
If you’re looking for a checklist or a quick win deck, I’m probably not the right person.
Common Questions
What does a web performance consultant do?
I help organizations identify performance bottlenecks that impact business outcomes, translate Core Web Vitals into SEO and revenue impact, build prioritized performance roadmaps, and create alignment between engineering, marketing and C-level teams. The focus is on user impact and business outcomes, not just metrics.
How can web performance improve business outcomes?
Web performance directly impacts revenue, conversion rates, and SEO rankings. Faster websites reduce bounce rates, improve user experience, and increase search engine visibility through Core Web Vitals. Performance optimization identifies which changes actually move revenue and conversion, not just improve scores.
How do you approach web performance optimization?
My approach starts with understanding user impact through Real User Monitoring, segmented by device, country, and page type. Then I correlate performance metrics with business outcomes like bounce rate and conversion. The focus is on deciding what not to optimize and creating clear, actionable priorities for engineering teams.
Who should hire a web performance consultant?
Web performance consultants are ideal for large organizations with complex digital platforms, including C-level executives, Heads of Digital, Engineering Directors, and Product leaders who need to connect performance metrics to business outcomes and create cross-departmental alignment.
What are Core Web Vitals and why do they matter?
Core Web Vitals are Google's user experience metrics that measure loading performance (LCP), interactivity (INP), and visual stability (CLS). They directly impact SEO rankings, user experience, and conversion rates. A web performance consultant translates these metrics into actionable business improvements.
When It Makes Sense to Talk
It's usually a good fit when:
- Performance discussions keep getting stuck between teams
- Metrics look “fine” but conversion or SEO is trending down
- You're planning a replatform, SSR setup or major frontend change
- You need an external expert to cut through internal bias
Contact
If this way of thinking resonates, I'm happy to talk.
You can reach me via:
No sales pitch. Just a sharp conversation.