With 5.35 billion people using the internet, it is very important to have an efficient and user friendly website to stand out. Whether you run a small business, manage a B2B site, or operate a large ecommerce platform, the speed at which your website loads can significantly impact your bottom line. Studies have shown that faster websites not only improve user experience but also helps with conversion rate optimisation, reduces bounce rates, and ultimately, increases revenue.
Why Website Speed Matters for Your Bottom Line
There are lots of things that can be done to quickly improve the speed at which your website loads, but why would you bother investing time and money in this? Research shows that:
- 82% of B2B pages load in 5 seconds or less, yet the difference in conversion rates between a fast and a slow site is staggering. A B2B site that loads in 1 second has a conversion rate 3 times higher than a site that loads in 5 seconds and 5 times higher than a site that loads in 10 seconds.
- For mobile users, the stakes are even higher. Web pages load 70.9% slower on mobile devices than on desktops, and a 1-second delay in page load time can result in a 7% decrease in conversions.
These statistics underline a crucial point: speed equals conversions. Faster websites lead to better user experiences, which in turn, drive more conversions and increase revenue.
Key Metrics to Measure Website Speed
Before implementing any changes, it’s essential to understand how to measure website speed effectively. Some key metrics include:
- Page Load Time: The total time it takes for a page to fully load. Google suggests an ideal page load time is between 0-2 seconds, but 3 seconds is also considered acceptable. Anything beyond 3 seconds increases the likelihood of visitors leaving your site.
- Time to First Byte (TTFB): The time it takes for the user’s browser to receive the first byte of data from your server. A low TTFB indicates a responsive server and efficient content delivery.
- First Contentful Paint (FCP): The time it takes for the first piece of content (e.g., text, image, etc.) to appear on the screen. A faster FCP improves user perception of speed.
- Core Web Vitals: Google’s Core Web Vitals focus on user-centric performance metrics, including Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Surprisingly, only 34% of the top 100 websites pass their Core Web Vitals which shows there is significant room for improvement across the web.
Strategies to Improve Website Speed
We have established that website speed is important to increase conversions and increase revenue, but how can an ambitious organisation improve their website performance?
1. Optimise images
Images are often the largest files on a webpage, making them a common culprit for slow load times. Optimising your images can significantly reduce your page load time.
- Use the right format: JPEGs are great for photographs, while PNGs are better for images with transparency. For simple graphics, consider using SVGs.
- Compress Images: Use tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim to compress images without losing quality.
- Lazy loading: Implement lazy loading to delay the loading of images until they are actually needed, reducing initial page load time.
2. Minimise HTTP requests
Every element on your webpage—images, scripts, CSS files—requires an HTTP request. The more requests, the slower the page.
- Combine Files: Combine CSS and JavaScript files where possible to reduce the number of requests.
- Inline Small Files: For small CSS or JavaScript files, consider inlining them directly into the HTML to eliminate additional requests.
3. Leverage browser caching
Browser caching stores some data locally in the user’s browser, allowing faster access on subsequent visits. Setting up caching headers can dramatically reduce load times for returning visitors.
- Specify Expiry Times: Set expiration dates on cached files so that the browser knows how long it can store the files before needing to fetch a fresh copy.
- Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): CDNs store cached versions of your site across multiple geographic locations, reducing the distance data has to travel and improving load times globally.
4. Minimise and compress code
Overly bloated code can slow down your website. Minifying and compressing your code can lead to faster load times.
- Minify HTML, CSS, and JavaScript: Remove unnecessary spaces, comments, and characters from your code to make it as lean as possible.
- Use Gzip Compression: Gzip can reduce the size of your files by up to 70%, making it quicker to download.
5. Optimise server response time
A slow server response time can cripple your website speed, regardless of how optimised your frontend is.
- Choose a Fast Web Host: Your web hosting service plays a critical role in your website’s speed. Opt for a hosting plan that offers SSD storage, high bandwidth, and reliable uptime.
- Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): As mentioned earlier, CDNs distribute your content across multiple servers worldwide, reducing load times by serving content from the nearest location.
- Reduce Server Load: Use server-side caching to reduce the load on your server by serving static versions of your pages instead of dynamically generating them for every request.
6. Enable compression
Enabling compression for your files can significantly reduce the size of your CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files.
- Use Gzip or Brotli: Most modern web servers support Gzip and Brotli compression. Enabling these can reduce file size by up to 70%.
7. Reduce redirects
Redirects create additional HTTP requests and increase load times.
- Minimise Redirects: Only use redirects when absolutely necessary. Audit your site for unnecessary redirects and eliminate them.
8. Prioritise above-the-fold content
Ensure that the content visible to users as soon as the page loads (above-the-fold content) loads quickly.
- Defer JavaScript: By deferring JavaScript, you can ensure that it doesn’t block the loading of other critical resources.
- Inline Critical CSS: Inline the CSS necessary for above-the-fold content to ensure it loads immediately.
9. Monitor and improve mobile performance
92.3% of internet users access the internet using a mobile phone so optimising for mobile speed is essential. Despite this, web pages load 70.9% slower on mobile devices than on desktops, making mobile optimisation a top priority.
- Implement AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages): AMP strips down your site’s content to its essentials, providing a faster, cleaner experience on mobile devices.
- Responsive Design: Ensure your website is mobile-friendly, as 67% of users are more likely to buy from a company that is mobile-friendly.
10. Regularly test and monitor performance
Continuous monitoring and testing are key to maintaining a fast website. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and Pingdom can help you identify issues and monitor performance over time.
- Set Benchmarks: Establish speed benchmarks for your site and regularly test your site’s speed.
- Monitor Core Web Vitals: Regularly check your site’s Core Web Vitals to ensure it meets Google’s recommended thresholds.
Why partnering with digital experts is the fastest route to speed optimisation
Improving your website speed is about enhancing user experience, which directly impacts your bottom line. As we’ve seen:
- Faster websites lead to higher conversion rates. A site that loads in 1 second can have a conversion rate 3 times higher than a site that loads in 5 seconds and 5 times higher than one that loads in 10 seconds.
- Small improvements can make a big difference. For example, a 0.1-second improvement in mobile speed decreased the bounce rate by 8.3% for one in two lead gen sites.
- Speed is critical for mobile users, who make up the majority of internet users today. A 1-second delay in page load time can result in a 7% decrease in conversions.
Ultimately, investing in website speed is an investment in your business’s success. While the tips in this blog are valuable, determining where to start can still be challenging. That’s why partnering with a digital agency is a smart move. At Sagittarius, we bring over 30 years of experience in creating experiences that convert. From engineering to experience and strategy strategies, we handle every aspect of digital optimisation. Let us take the stress out of improving your website’s performance. Contact us today, and we’ll guide you on your digital journey. In a highly competitive digital space, every second counts. Don’t let a slow website hold you back—start optimising now and watch your conversion rates and profits rise.
