Fast server response (TTFB — time to first byte)
Your server takes too long to respond. AI crawlers run short timeouts and may give up before your page loads. Cache at the edge and speed up the origin.
What this means
Passing: Your server responds fast. AI crawlers get the first byte well within their timeout.
Partial: Your server is a little slow to respond. Tighten it up so AI crawlers don't time out on busy days.
Needs work: Your server takes too long to respond. AI crawlers run short timeouts and may give up before your page loads. Cache at the edge and speed up the origin.
Cut server response time (TTFB) under 800ms
AI crawlers abandon slow origins (1–5s timeouts). Cache HTML at the edge / CDN, warm your server, and avoid slow database calls on the homepage so the first byte arrives within Google's good band (≤800ms) — under 200ms is the stretch goal.
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Full guide
Step-by-step for your platform, with why AI engines read it and how to confirm it worked: Retrieval speed / Core Web Vitals.