This post will be all about how to improve your website loading speed. The website loading speed is crucial for the success of your website. The expected loading time of a page is anywhere between one and three seconds. Also, the bounce rate rapidly jumps with every second added to the loading speed. People don’t have the patience to wait for a page to load for more than a few seconds. And when we say few, we really mean that. That’s why we want to discuss various ways to improve your website loading speed.
Why is page load time so important?
Besides losing customers, you will also lose website ranking if you don’t fix the loading speed issue. Page load time is one of the most critical SEO factors for the Google search engine. Algorithms use various signals from websites to better rank them, and the loading speed is essential.
If the load time is slow, the signal will not reach Google on time, and other websites will rank in front of yours. Also, keep in mind that search engines have allocated time for crawling pages. If your pages are loading slowly, the crawlers will not be able to inspect the entire website. That will negatively affect your indexation.
Identify the primary problem makers!
Before you can start to optimize your website performance, you need to locate the problems. This may be easier said than done if you have a bunch of pages. Luckily, you can use software to find pages with slow load times. This is the first step in solving a significant problem. After you identify the main culprits, you can apply several strategies to fix the issue.
Choose a good hosting provider
Cheap hosting will cost your business more than you think. There is a reason why cheap hosting is cheap. You probably share resources with multiple websites on a single server, leading to numerous issues. It is better to purchase a dedicated hosting server than to get shared hosting.
How to improve server response time
Besides the choice of hosting provider, the server response time depends on a couple of different factors:
● the amount of traffic on your website;
● the number of resources per page;
● and the software your server uses.
What affects the loading speed?
When there is a problem, you experience performance bottlenecks that slow down page speed. These may come in many forms, like slow routing, slow database queries, or insufficient memory to handle everything. Server response time should be under 200ms, so consult with your hosting provider about tracking these server-related issues and finding the best way to solve them.
Declutter your website
Cluttered websites are one of the dying online trends that should never come back. Yet, we can still find many examples of overcrowded websites that kill their business. Besides throwing off the focus from essential elements, a crowded website dramatically affects the loading speed. Too many elements like animated objects, ads, popups, and so on will reduce the functionality of your website.
Review the number of redirects
Redirects are sometimes necessary. For example, if you wish to change a domain. But, too many redirects will also affect the loading speed. The HTTP request takes longer to process, and visitors will get annoyed and leave. Furthermore, too many redirects may also lower your conversion rate. Your website may feel more like a hub that gets people from one place to another. So, if you want to keep visitors on your site for longer and increase user engagement, reduce your redirects.
Minify and restructure website code
Your website comprises multiple HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files containing lines of code. How this code is written is also crucial for the website’s loading speed. Also, the position of the code plays an important part. For example, if you place JavaScript code at the top of your HTML file, processing the code will take more time, and the page will load more slowly. JavaScript should always go at the bottom of the page because it does not play a major role in the initial loading of the page. Furthermore, you can minify your code by making it more compact. This means removing all empty spaces and reducing the number of lines.
An example of a minified code page.
When you minify code blocks, you allow the server to read faster through them. The best way to do this is to hire a professional web designer. Even though you can research how to do this yourself, it is better to leave it up to the professionals to do it the right way. Hiring a professional at Orlando Website Design is always a good idea. Check out our portfolio to see completed design projects.
Having your site done professionally will insure you have a well-developed and fast-loading site.
Enable file compression
You can also use software that will help you to compress HTML, JavaScript, and CSS files. As a reference point, they should all be below 150 bytes. Use website caching and browser caching Cache memory stores pieces of your website so the website can load faster. This is a very efficient way to speed up the loading of web pages. Every time a user clicks on your URL, the browser needs to download a lot of data from the server. Instead, you can store pieces of your website on the browser directly. It is like opening a saved web page offline.
The benefit of Content Delivery Networks (CDN)
CDN is another form of data caching that stores static parts of your website, like videos, images, or pages. There are CDN servers across the world. If a person from another country tries to access your website, it will load much faster if a CDN server in their country has your website data. Content Delivery Networks are beneficial, and you should use them whenever possible.
Optimize images on your website
While we are on the subject of static elements of your website, image optimization is crucial for fast loading speed. Different elements of your website require different types of images, like a header, a logo, background, etc. Furthermore, if you are running a blog, all of the articles will require a couple of images. Large images load very slowly and will seriously lower the loading speed. Always compress images below 100 kb, but remember that your website also needs clear and sharp images. Do not sacrifice quality. That means you will need to optimize photos to reduce their size but keep the quality.
Remove unnecessary plugins
Adding plugins to a website is fun and exciting because it adds terrific functionalities. However, too many plugins will suffocate your website. Every plugin has backend code that needs to load and process. Also, plugins need to cooperate with other elements on the page. Only keep plugins that are indispensable to the functionality of your website. Everything else should go.
Reduce the number of ads
Ads help you to make money via your website. This is a pervasive strategy, and you should definitely use it. What you should avoid is using too many ads. First of all, your website will seem pushy and spammy. People don’t come to websites to watch and click on ads. You need to be very subtle. Also, ads and banners take up additional space when loading the page. They also often pop up when we least expect them, and that will also interrupt the user experience. It is best to learn more about PPC advertising and figure out the most efficient way to use ads to make money without affecting the functionality of your website. While ads help you make money, they should never interfere with user experience and website functionality.
Track page load time after making changes
Whatever changes you make to the website, it is always essential to test the loading speed after. Tracking even the slightest changes is crucial because it will tell you if you are on the right path. Another thing to understand is that you need to have a goal in mind. Define the loading speed you are satisfied with, and keep tracking changes until you reach the desired number. Even when you are done optimizing your website, it is a good idea to continue monitoring page load time every day during different hours. This is the best proactive approach to notice if something does not look right quickly.
Improve your website loading speed with these efficient strategies
Besides our suggestions, there are many other ways to improve your website’s loading speed. Don’t stop here; we advise you to do thorough research. You can also reach out to a professional and let them help you with this project. This is a very smart investment in the future of your business, and it will make things easier and much faster. Best of luck in creating a memorable experience for your customers and growing your business!
Special thanks today to our “guest blogger” Amy Baker, Content Manager at US Content Group Email: amy@uscontentgroup.com
Hurry back for more next time from the design wizards at Orlando Website Design. Contact us for all things design, SEO, and programming.
Jean Holland-Rose, Chief Creative Officer & SEO Professional
