Is your website slow? Then give it a speed optimization!
Do you want your website to be competitive in the battle for those coveted high rankings, clicks and conversions? Then the speed of your website is a parameter you simply cannot overlook.
You know the scenario; you click on a page, the page loads - but in short, it's too slow. So you click away again and move on to the next suggestions on your Google search.
But how long does it take you to decide to click through?
I'll tell you what.
3 seconds. And 3 seconds doesn't sound like much - but nevertheless, those 3 seconds determine whether you go somewhere else. In the same way, your potential customers will also end up at your competitors if the scenario plays out on your website."
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Why does your website need to be fast?
There are several different reasons why your website needs to be fast. Now, I realize that as an SEO specialist, I will naturally include SEO in most things. But the speed of your website has - most importantly - a real impact on your Google rankings.
And let's face it - most people know that the top of Google is where you want to be.
To be specific, a fast website gives you the following benefits:
Contributes to ease of use
You can't say search engine optimization without saying usability - and a slow website is simply not user-friendly. The speed of your website is now one of Google's Pagerank factors. If your website is fast, it contributes to usability - and Google rewards that with higher rankings .
Increase your conversions
In addition, a user-friendly site will optimize your conversions. Ready-to-buy visitors have neither the desire nor the patience to wait for your site to finish loading. They'll go to your competitor instead.
Creates a lower bounce rate
If your website is slow, I can already tell you that you probably have a relatively high bounce rate. And a high bounce rate indicates that you are not able to retain your visitors. And one of the reasons for this could be that your visitors don't have time to read your content - they get too impatient.
Why is your website slow - and what can you do about it?
There are several different reasons why your website might be slow - and often it's a combination of these. Below are 5 parameters that most often come to mind when I look at the speed of a website.
- Too large image files
Images on websites are hugely important as they help retain the user and visually reinforce your points and messages. But it's equally important that they don't take up too much space - at least if you want a fast website. As a rule of thumb, an image shouldn't take up more than 100kb. If you're not a skilled Photoshop user, there are several drag'n'drop programs that can do the job for you, such as Short Pixel and Image Compressor. - All files are loaded atthe same time
If a page has a lot of files to load, it can affect how fast it loads. One solution to this problem is to make use ofLazy Loading. In short, Lazy Loading means that your files are loaded as the page is scrolled. For example, if you have an image at the bottom of a page, it won't be loaded until your visitors get there. This way, all your content doesn't load at the same time, which increases speed and provides a better user experience. - Caching
Caching is a third parameter that can affect the speed of your site. In short, caching means that once a user has already loaded your site once, all CSS, image files and Javascript are saved. That way, it doesn't have to load the next time a user visits the site. If you have a WordPress website, there are several different plugins to enable caching - for example, WP Rocket. - Code takes up too much space
If your code takes up too much space unnecessarily, it can have a negative impact on speed. It's important to minify your CSS and Javascript - without compromising functionality, of course. - Your server is not fast enough
There is a big difference in how fast a website loads depending on the web host used. If you have either the wrong or slow web host, you should switch to a faster hosting solution. Because in the end, it has an impact on whether the previous parameters optimize your website.
How you can check your website speed
There are several different tools to check the speed of your website. You can use them if you suspect your website is slow. Below are 2 different tools that you can use to check if your website has speed issues that prevent you from ranking at the top of Google.
- Google Pagespeed Insight
Pagespeed insight is Google's own tool. If you want a quick insight into how your website is performing, this tool is perfect. - Pingdom
If you want a slightly more "geeky" but also in-depth analysis, Pingdom is an excellent tool that you can use for free.
Both tools come with explanations of the different concepts and solutions you can choose to implement or change on your site.
Want help making your website faster?
I hope that made sense to you why it's important to have a fast website. If you need help giving your website a look, feel free to contact Amplify today. Our SEO specialists and web designers are ready to give your website a speed check - and give it a speed optimization if it can't keep up with the competition.
Get help with your SEO strategy
A good start is half done. A bad start is.... well, not good. If you don't have the resources to create a well-thought-out SEO strategy, you are always welcome to send me an email at seo@amplify.dk or contact one of my colleagues at info@amplify.dk.
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