Many business website owners will be familiar with the fact that their website needs to be fast. However, not all will know why. In today’s digital world, website speed is everything. Users expect websites to load quickly so they can get the information they need in an instant. Even a minor hesitation can result in a huge loss of traffic, which in turn could lead to reduced conversions.
No website owner wants to miss out on conversions if they can help it. Whether you run an ecommerce store, a blog or a business website, speed should be one of your top priorities.
The Impact Of Website Speed
Website speed plays a key role in how users interact with your website. Google recommends that your website loads in just three seconds or less. Typically, websites that appear on page one of the search results page will meet this standard. This is because sites that load quickly provide a better user experience, and typically retain more traffic than those which don’t.
Beyond rankings and user engagement, website speed can also directly impact your revenue. Ecommerce websites in particular can suffer from this, as users may be more likely to abandon cart before completing their transaction. As well as that, a faster website may encourage users to browse more. They could increase the amount that they spend in one transaction, and may be more likely to return to your website in future to purchase again.
How To Improve Your Website’s Speed
There are many ways you can optimise your website’s loading speeds. The techniques that will affect your site most will depend on many different factors. We’re going to share a few simple changes that you could consider:
Optimise Images
When making a beautiful website, it’s easy to forget how the imagery you’re adding could be slowing down your site. Large image files can have a big impact on your site’s loading speed. Thankfully, there are ways to reduce the size of your files without compromising on image quality. You can either choose to compress the images using tools like TinyPNG, or you could serve images in a modern format using compact file types like WebP.
As well as that, you could also set your website to lazy load images to ensure the main content loads quickly. Lazy loading simply means that images only appear when users scroll to them, reducing initial load time and improving overall performance.
Enable Browser Caching
A browser cache is a place where website data is stored locally on a user’s computer, including small pieces of data known as ‘cookies’. By enabling browser caching, your website will load faster when users return to your site. Certain elements will be stored on their device, meaning they won’t need to be downloaded when that user loads your website. These elements include things like images, CSS files and JavaScript, all of which can make up a significant portion of your website. To enable browser caching, you’ll need to configure your server settings and specify how long you want the files stored in your users’ cache.
Keep Redirects To A Minimum
When a user clicks on a link that redirects to another page, it adds additional HTTP requests, which in turn increases the load time. There are occasions where redirects are necessary, and the additional load time is worth it. However, excessive or poorly implemented redirects need to be fixed. Performing site audits at regular intervals can help you keep an eye on your redirects and give you opportunities to minimise them where possible. This is particularly true for larger websites, such as ecommerce, where there may be a significant amount of pages and lots of redirects.
Update Your Plugins & Themes
If your website runs on a platform like WordPress, you probably have a few plugins and themes installed on your site. It pays to audit these periodically, ensuring that you’re using them all. If you’ve got plugins and themes on your site that aren’t useful or even inactive, you may want to delete them. Even deactivated plugins can consume resources. If you’re not using some of your plugins, fully deleting them is the best approach. This will free up some space and improve your website’s performance.
As well as that, you should ensure that your plugins and themes are regularly updated. Old or outdated code can be slow to load, and may even cause problems with your site’s appearance or functionality. Updates are usually rolled out quite regularly, so we’d suggest checking your website monthly to ensure that everything is up to date.
Monitor Your Website
Website speed is not a task you can set and forget. Your website will require ongoing maintenance and checks to ensure the speed is optimal. Tools can help you monitor your website’s speed, such as Google PageSpeed Insights. Running these tests can be really insightful, particularly if you’re making changes to your website.
A Note On Website Speed Tests
While we’re discussing website speed tests, we need to add that there will be a few variables at play with some of these. Unless the test is done using a controlled environment or third-party, you can’t guarantee that the result is accurate. Things like the speed of your own computer, browser and download speeds can affect the result. We think the best way to monitor your website’s speed is to carry out tests using the same device to ensure consistency. This will give you a better idea of whether your website’s speed is fluctuating or not.
For Fast, Effective Small Business Websites, Choose Search4Local
If you’re looking for a website for a small business that’s fast and effective, choose Search4Local. Get in touch today to start your journey with us and schedule a meeting with one of our friendly account managers.
Written by Alice Farley
