Everyone is aware of the fact that having fast WordPress side can be hugely beneficial. However, not a lot of people realize is that it is equally essential for SEO and conversions. Having too many HTTP requests, poorly optimized images, and even unsuitable hosting cause delays and end up costing you money. You should take some time out to access your website and identify any potential performance pitfalls. These could be a cause of concern for the site. After all, if you are not up to the speed, that does not mean your competitors are not either.
Is slow website the reason why your website’s conversions are going down considerably?
According to research, an average user’s attention span is decreasing as technology has become more sophisticated and faster than ever. A study by Google revealed that websites having a 5-second load time had 25% higher ad viewability, 35% lower bounce rates, and 70% longer average sessions than the ones that took 19 seconds to load. Considering all these aspects, a slow website loading speed is one of the biggest threats to a business.
There is a reason why Google always encourages website owners to speed up their websites. In fact, in 2010, page speed was one of the most important Google ranking factor. This shows what an impact it has had on SEO (Search Engine Optimization), and Google rankings.
This is because when you consider mobile, speed and user experience play a significant role. These features carry over to expectations from other devices as well.
Web pages are not just about SEO and excellent user experience as slow websites also affect the conversion metrics significantly.
A one-second delay in the page load time will yield:
- 7% loss in conversions
- 16% decrease in customer satisfaction level
- 11% fewer page views
A few extra seconds will have a massive impact on your ability to engage potential customers and make sales.
What are the probable factors that lead to a slow website?
Usually, websites slow down by delays in the server’s response to the request that your website needs to load pages. For instance, details like too many HTTP requests and poorly optimized images can cause a lag. For isolating the things that are causing your website to slow down, it would be a smart choice to conduct an audit. Additionally, it will help you assess the website’s speed and other potential issues.
Exploring the web project and getting rid of potential speed issues
In the ideal scenario, before the website is live, you need to address many problems.
If you have begun to suspect that your website is showing signs of poor performance, you should try checking these:
- The size of the images on your website and if it is possible to compress the images.
- The number of HTTP requests your website is sending to load pages.
- Line breaks and unnecessary spaces are bloating your code.
- Whether the hosting environment or the server is appropriate for the website.
