The user experience of website visitors significantly influences their likelihood of returning. A slow website can lead to frustration, which is something you certainly want to prevent. In a time-constrained world, even a minor inconvenience like a slow website can dissuade potential customers from making purchases and discourage them from revisiting your site.
What is website speed?
Website speed refers to the time each page on your website downloads and presents to the end user. If your site is rich in images and you haven’t optimised them, it may take significantly longer to load compared to a more text-oriented site. The website load speed encompasses not only the time to display content but also to render everything, including text, images, and scripts. If, for instance, clicking a button results in no immediate response, visitors may assume an issue with the site and might leave before it completes loading.
How fast should your website load in 2024?
It might come as a surprise, but if your website exceeds a 3-second loading time, you’re likely to lose some viewers. Although mobile users might tolerate a slightly longer duration, it’s still advisable to keep it as low as possible. While three seconds may seem brief, think about your own experience as a website visitor – it doesn’t take much for frustration to set in with a slow-loading site. The slower the website, the more it diminishes authenticity and perceived superiority, instantly diminishing the impression of your brand.
How can you tell how long your website loads?
There are a lot of free tools to check how long your website takes too long, which not only gives you an insight into your home page but also into each individual page on your website, which will give you greater insight into where your website is failing. Consider using PageSpeed Insights, or Pingdom Website Speed Test.
How can you make your website load faster?
Optimise your images:
Compress and save images specifically for web use rather than print. Aim for sharp and clear visuals with a smaller file size.
Reduce HTTP requests and implement browser caching:
Limit the number of HTTP requests and consider leveraging browser caching. Instruct browsers to cache static elements of your webpage that are unlikely to change frequently. This practice reduces the server’s data demands, resulting in faster loading times for recently visited pages.
Choose a hosting site with a strong reputation for speed:
Ensure your hosting site is known for its fast response times. Regardless of your optimisation efforts, a slow hosting server can negatively impact your site’s performance.
Why does it matter how fast your website loads?
A sluggish website not only risks losing customers but also affects its visibility on Google. Google considers page speed as a ranking factor and will prioritise faster websites in their search engine results. The faster your website loads, the more professional your website will come across and the better the user experience will be.
We prioritise design and content
With a focus on great content and design, we build websites that convert! At Content Sites, we’re here to help you not only create great content for your site and generate more traffic, but to also make your website look amazing! It’s where design and content meet, to create a website that works. Ready for a website that stands out? Chat to us today about your upcoming web project!
