Effects of website speed on your marketing strategies is important. As the world becomes more digital, people’s attention span seems to be shrinking. They do not want to wait to get what they want, and businesses may need to adjust to those demands.
In the days of internet dialing, it was not uncommon to sit and wait a few seconds for a web page to load. However, all that changed as the internet speed grew faster and faster. Now, we do not want to keep waiting for what we want.
After doing technical website research for the past 20 years, it has become clear to me that the speed of web page loading can have a significant impact on a business line. If the page is loaded slowly, most people will give up and go somewhere else. That could mean losing traffic to your site and losing dollars in your pocket. Your conversion rates may suffer, and your jump rates – the number of people leaving your site after just a one-page visit – may increase. A page loads slower and may harm your search engine optimization, as Google uses page speed as a deciding factor in page rank.
If the speed of your website page does not reach closure, it is time to find out why and solve the problem.
How to Figure Out Your Load Time
First, find out how fast your pages are loading right now. There are a variety of tools out there, but Google offers this free one which is a great place to start. It’s called PageSpeed Insights.
It is straightforward to use, with a color scale indicating that your page speed is faster, medium, or slower. It also tells you about opportunities to speed up loading time. Another downside is that words can get specialized technology. If you are not at the top with advanced IT, it may be helpful to have a web developer nearby.
What Is Page speed ?
Page speed is often confused with “site speed,” which is the page speed of a sample page view of the site. Page speed can be defined as “page load time” (the time it takes to fully display content on a particular page) or “byte start time” (how long it takes for your browser to get the first byte of information from a web server).
You can check the speed of your page with Google’s PageSpeed Insights. PageSpeed Insights Speed Score includes data from CrUX (Chrome User Experience Report) and reports on two key speed metrics: First Contentful Paint (FCP) and DOMContentLoaded (DCL).
Now, this blog will be sharing five ways to increase the speed at which your pages load.
1. Make sure Your Website Images Are Organized
Larger images can significantly slow down the loading speed of your pages. You can save valuable seconds by simply pressing them before adding them to your site. It is easier to do this from where you are going instead of going back to all the pages and posts you have ever written.
You have different options for compressing images. Most photo programs like Photoshop give you the “Save the Web” option. You can use this to adjust the file size while maintaining high quality. TinyPNG and JPEGmini are some options that compress your photos.
2. Use Gzip Compression
You can speed things up a lot if your web server uses gzip compression, which is a great way to significantly reduce file sizes without sacrificing quality. According to Practical Ecommerce, it “works best for text files, such as HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JSON.”
Check with your web host to see if they are currently using gzip on their servers. If your pages are still loading, double-check to make sure you have entered the code correctly – or asked your website developer to do so – and that you are not using an outdated browser.
If your web host does not use gzip, ask if they have a different compression method they use or consider using WordPress to take advantage of gzip compression plug-ins. That is why effects of website speed is important.
3. Use Content Distribution Networks (CDNs)
CDNs can have a positive impact on page load speed. Networks servers work together to share the burden of delivering content. With CDNs, your site is stored on multiple servers in different locations. Users have access to a server near where they are, which speeds up your page loading time on their device.
Many companies offer CDN services. Research what they can offer you, and find what works.
4. Reduce Your No. Of Redirects
Redirect is a useful way to direct a visitor to a page you just created to replace an existing one. They are a great way to customize your site without losing “link juice,” or the value you gained by having a high-quality site link back to your home page. You can change your site without having to worry about search engines.
Too bad that redirecting can slow down your site. Every redirect adds another link to the series that you have to go through your browser. It is an additional function of the browser and makes the process less efficient around.
Redirecting, in general, is of great value, but try to use it only if necessary. Consider changing the original page rather than creating a new one and redirecting it to it.
5. Cache In Your Problems
Some plugins in your content management system, such as WordPress, can also help. You can install plug-ins specially designed to keep the latest versions of pages on your site. Doing so means that browsers do not have to reproduce the page every time visitors are shown. Your upload time is reduced to a process.
Remember that browsers automatically store archives, such as images and JavaScript files, for this purpose. You can extend the length of time it takes for your repository to expire by adjusting the settings within the site template you are building. This means that your pages will load faster for returning users for a longer period.
Site speed has directly impacted performance on the paid media side for years.
Looking specifically at what’s measured to produce Google’s Quality Score, Landing page experience is a direct contributor. Among a handful of steps to improve your landing page experience, Google specifically outlines decreasing your landing page load time and making your site faster. That is why effects of website speed is important.
As Google Ads’ Quality Scores improve, marketers can expect to see:
- Higher search impression share
- Higher click-through rates
- Lower cost per click average
- High conversion rates
Conclusion
Page speed should be a vital part of your digital marketing strategy. Not only do consumers expect a positive experience when they click on your link, but page speed is also vital for search engine optimization (SEO) and your bottom line results.
Improving site speed is a clear and proven way to sharply increase the conversion metrics that matter most with the traffic volume you already have today. As competition grows for organic rankings and average CPCs continue to steadily increase, one way to fuel your conversion funnel is to make the most of the traffic you’re already driving.
Improving page speed increases your ability to drive more traffic to your website. Improving page speed drives engagement and conversion rates higher on your website. In the world of digital marketing, page loading speed matters. Make sure you’re taking the steps to avoid getting left behind. That is why effects of website speed is important.