Each second matters:

 Akamai 2009 study showed that from 1,048 online shoppers interviewed, the loading time is a major contributing factor to webpage abandonment. As 47% website users expect the load time of a website to be under 2 seconds. Thus Moth 2012 states that 40% of users will abandon the page, if it takes more than three seconds to load. As well as this 52% of online customers stated that it is import for website to load quickly to retain customers. In addition to this around 88% of customers are not likely to return to shop on a website after a dissatisfied experience (Akamai 2009).  Thus will also share their dissatisfying experience with other the study from Akamai 2009 showed that 64% of shoppers will choose to go somewhere else.

Why does performance matters:

Users prefer to navigate themselves around the structure of a website with ease. The structure of a website is mainly the understanding of links amongst the several pages and nodes, that user’s essentially uses to direct themselves to reach their desired location (Galletta 2006). Fundamentally, users are challenged with a decision on each page of the site, and at each point they calculate the possibility of any delay in accomplishment to their desired location. Proven through previous studies, Johnson and Payne (1985) notes that visitors of websites develop strategies to limit their cognitive thinking processes in attempting to seek “low cost” strategies. Whether a conscious or unconscious decision, sites that offer lower cost options- lower total loading time and effort- will in return be preferred over sites with a higher cost (Galletta 2006). Prior research confirms that long delays lead to frustration (Doherty and Kelisky 1979), dissatisfaction (Lee and MacGregor 1985) and giving up (Nah 2002). Negative impacts are strongest when delays are longer than expected (Galletta 2006).

Website speed for your SEO (Search Engine Optimisation):

Equally thinking that just by effecting users experience is the worst it can get. Well search engines such as Google penalised slow website speeds in their search results (Moth 2012). Thus Google thinks that website speed is considered to be dynamic factor for a website. Since 2012, Moth uncovered in 2011 google had incorporated website speed within its ranking factors. Although Google had announced that it would affect fewer than 5% of queries, thus businesses should force on their quality of their website then on its performance; loading speed still remains a ranking factor as part of Google’s algorithm. Therefore, the faster your website the higher the ranking (Costill 2014). But this certainly should not be taken in to consideration.  

Soo what causes loading websites to load slowly?

1.Un-Optimised Images

Un-Optimised images impact 90% of Alexa 1000 websites. These are images that can be reduced in size exclusive of any visual effect to your users. These are usually PNG and JPEG images that have extra data included for comments or because they contain an inefficient DEFLATE compressor. PNG should be used for icons or logos, but JPEGs work better as photos (Costill 2014).

 

What can you do to fix this?

  • As there is extra data in PNG files are unnecessarily large. Images can be reduced in sized, there are many tool which can aid this such as TinyPNG (https://tinypng.com). Using such tool help keep the quality of the image while reducing the size of the file.

 

  • Similarly, JPEG files contain useless extra information making them too big, however using tools to minims the size of the image and still keep the quality of the image the same JPEG-mini can be used (http://www.jpegmini.com).

2.Widget/Plugin Overload

Using widget/plugin is not a problem within a website, however using too many can reduce the load time. As well as this it can also cause security issues, therefore check what widgets/Plugin are in use and those which are not being used make sure to deactivate them and remove them. As this will improve the load of the site plus improve the security of the website (Echosurge 2015).

What can you do to fix this?

  • Test your plugins on various browser platforms and mobile devices

 

  • Do not over use ‘plugins’. When together and unneeded all they do is slow the loading time of your website.

 

  • Check your plugins folder and see the plugins that you are actively using. The ones that you are not using you can deactivate and delete. Most of the time, even if your plug in is not in use, it can slow the loading time of your site.

3. Server location

Everything you have done so far has helped increase the website speed; but the load time is still slow? Therefore, just optimising images plus removing widget and plugin is not enough. Where the Location of the server is in regards to where users has an impact to the performance of the site.

What can you do to fix this?

  • Applying a CDN
  • Is the website more popular in Wales, but the main server located in Scotland, using a CDN will enable the content of your website on a server in Wales.
  • CND (Content Delivery Network Closer) contacts the server geographically means that when the users in wales opens the website, the content will load quicker if the server is situated closer to them.

  • Think about using Max CDN to use a CDN to the server, it is recognized as one of the most well-known and popular CDN that powers the likes of the Next Web (Wilson, 2014).

4.Slow Hosting Provider

Slow hosting providers can affect the performance of your website, as if your website is a free website. As theses providers can place your website on a sharing server. This may not affect your site if it isn’t popular and doesn’t have large traffic to your site. However, if your website is popular and has high number of users traffic per day, then your website can benefit from using a hosting provider which can place your website on its own server (Echosurge 2015).

5. Here are a few tools you can consider using to test and increase your website speed:

 The speed of the website is important, no matter on the size of the business small or large. ‘Therefore, the faster the loading time of the website, the more likely customers are to return back the site and use your services again.

  • Here are link to videos that can help improve the performance to your website speed:

  •  The image below shows the result for Komal Beauty website after running the test.

The results shows a summary of the overall performance of the website for Komal Beauty, also shows and indicates how to speed up the site.

This breaks down the website in to the following areas of the site;

  • Performance insights
  • Response codes
  • Content size by content type
  • Requests by content type
  • Content size by domain
  • Requests by domain
  • File requests

How has your website features affected your website?

Once you have improved its flaws

Have your customers been happier?

Have your sales increased?

Like, Share and Comment below with your thoughts!

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References:

ARAGON, K.

10 Ways to Speed Up Your Website – and Improve Conversion by 7%

In-text: (Aragon 2017)

Your Bibliography: Aragon, K. 2017. 10 Ways to Speed Up Your Website – and Improve Conversion by 7%. Available from: https://www.crazyegg.com/blog/speed-up-your-website/ [15 April 2017].

 COSTILL, A.

How Important is Site Speed in 2014? | Search Engine Journal

In-text: (Costill 2014)

Your Bibliography: Costill, A. 2014. How Important is Site Speed in 2014? | Search Engine Journal. Available from: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101-important-site-speed-2014/111924/ [15 April 2017].

 ISHAM, M.

5 Common Causes of Slow Website Performance – Zoompf Web Performance

In-text: (Isham 2013)

Your Bibliography: Isham, M. 2013. 5 Common Causes of Slow Website Performance – Zoompf Web Performance. Available from: https://zoompf.com/blog/2013/04/top-5-causes [15 April 2017].

 MOREY, R.

Top CDN Services to Make Your WordPress Site Blazingly Fast (and More Reliable)

In-text: (Morey 2017)

Your Bibliography: Morey, R. 2017. Top CDN Services to Make Your WordPress Site Blazingly Fast (and More Reliable). Available from: https://premium.wpmudev.org/blog/top-cdn-services-to-make-your-wordpress-site-blazingly-fast/?utm_expid=3606929-101.yRvM9BqCTnWwtfcczEfOmg.0 [15 April 2017].Top of Form

 MOTH, D.

Site speed: case studies, tips and tools for improving your conversion rate

In-text: (Moth 2012)

Your Bibliography: Moth, D. 2012. Site speed: case studies, tips and tools for improving your conversion rate. Available from: https://econsultancy.com/blog/10936-site-speed-case-studies-tips-and-tools-for-improving-your-conversion-rate/ [15 April 2017].

PLUS, G.

How Loading Time Affects Your Bottom Line

In-text: (Plus 2017)

Your Bibliography: Plus, G. 2017. How Loading Time Affects Your Bottom Line. Available from: https://blog.kissmetrics.com/loading-time/ [15 April 2017].

 PLUS, G.

Speed Is A Killer – Why Decreasing Page Load Time Can Drastically Increase Conversions

In-text: (PLUS 2017)

Your Bibliography: PLUS, G. 2017. Speed Is A Killer – Why Decreasing Page Load Time Can Drastically Increase Conversions. Available from: https://blog.kissmetrics.com/speed-is-a-killer/ [15 April 2017].

 WEEKS, J.

Slow Kills: 5 Ways to Speed Up Your WordPress Website

In-text: (Weeks 2017)

Your Bibliography: Weeks, J. 2017. Slow Kills: 5 Ways to Speed Up Your WordPress Website. Available from: http://echosurgemarketing.com/slow-kills-5-ways-to-speed-up-your-wordpress-website/ [15 April 2017].