When people talk about improving a website, the conversation usually turns to design, content or SEO (search engine optimisation). Speed doesn’t always get the same attention, even though it can affect all three.
Think about the last time you clicked on a website that took forever to load. Chances are you didn’t hang around for long. Most people won’t. Whether someone is trying to read a blog post, fill in a contact form or buy a product, waiting around isn’t something they’re willing to do.
That’s where page speed comes in. Put simply, it’s a measure of how quickly a page loads and how soon visitors can actually use it. A page might appear on screen straight away, but if buttons aren’t working properly or content is still loading, people are unlikely to have much patience.
Google pays attention to this too. Fast websites tend to provide a better experience, which is one reason speed plays a role in search rankings. More importantly, though, a quicker website gives visitors fewer reasons to leave.
How do you improve website speed? There isn’t one magic fix that suddenly makes a website lightning fast. Usually, it’s a combination of smaller improvements that add up over time.
Optimise images
Images are often responsible for slowing websites down. It’s surprisingly common for businesses to upload photos directly from a phone or camera without thinking about file size. Compressing those images and using formats such as WebP can help pages load faster without noticeably affecting quality. Even something as simple as making sure images aren’t larger than they need to be can make a difference.
Enable browser caching
Not every file needs to be downloaded every single time someone visits your website. Browser caching allows returning visitors to load pages more quickly because certain files are stored on their device. Visitors won’t necessarily notice that caching is working, but they’ll certainly notice when a website feels slow.
Minify CSS and JavaScript files
This sounds far more technical than it really is. Minifying files simply means removing unnecessary characters and formatting from the code behind your website. The files become smaller, which means browsers can process them more efficiently. On its own, the improvement may be modest, but combined with other changes, it all helps.
Reduce HTTP requests
Every element on a page has to be loaded somehow. Images, fonts, stylesheets and scripts all require requests to the server. If there are too many of them, things start to slow down. Reducing unnecessary files and simplifying pages where possible can help speed things up.
Remove unused plugins and features
Most websites pick up a few extras over the years. Some plugins are installed for a specific purpose and then forgotten about. Others simply aren’t needed anymore. Carrying out the occasional spring clean can improve performance and reduce the chances of other issues appearing later on.
Don’t overlook hosting
Sometimes a slow website isn’t caused by the website itself. Cheap or outdated hosting can hold everything back. If you’ve already optimised your site and it still feels sluggish, it might be worth looking at the server it’s running on. Moving to a better hosting package can have a surprisingly noticeable effect.
A faster website makes life easier, and no business owner wants to lose potential customers because their website couldn’t keep up. Speed isn’t the most exciting topic, and it rarely gets the same attention as design or marketing, but it can have a real impact on how people experience your business online.
The good news is that improving page speed doesn’t always mean starting from scratch. Often, a series of relatively small changes is enough to make a website feel noticeably quicker, which is good news for both your visitors and your search rankings.
If you need any assistance improving the speed of your website, get in touch with us at Engage Web.
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