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Web Design and Development services have been combatting the fact that a 1 second delay in loading time can lead to a loss of 7% conversions. Google has confirmed that website loading speed is one of its major ranking factors. It determines whether a customer engages with or abandons the site.
In this article learn the easy to implement tips for website speed optimisation, and boost customer engagement and conversions.
Design Changes
Declutter the Home page
The Home page is the first to load when a visitor tries to access your site. When it is filled with too much text and graphics it can take too long to load. Design a home page with the most minimal content that conveys your brand effectively. Spread your content across multiple pages using internal links from the home page.
Optimise Media
Website media is a major factor for slow loading pages. Reduce the size of the image files by using compressors like Tiny JPG and Image Optimiser. Try to use JPEG instead of PNG format as much as possible, since JPEG images are inherently web optimised. Web design and development services often use images with less text on them, as they are quick to load. Do a media audit of the website and remove or redo any media that is not aligned to your conversion goals.
Reduce web fonts
Web fonts are a popular way to make your website look unique. The additional links to external sources slow down your website. To avoid this, choose standard fonts available on the document processor. Use formats like WOFF2 to compress the fonts, including only those characters and the specific styles used on your site.
Prioritise above the fold content
The section that is visible to the visitor on their screen right after the page loads is called – Above the fold Content. Strategize this part of your website with effective text and media. All supplementary information goes below the fold, to engage the readers who scroll down.
Technical Changes
Invest in better external hosting and CDNs
Most start-up businesses opt for Shared hosting as it is cheaper, but it’s slow with a lot of sites sharing the space. Invest in a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or a dedicated physical server to speed up your site.
To reach different geographical regions, Web Design and Development services use Content Distribution Networks. The data is compartmentalised across different servers and is accessed from the nearest one. These options seem expensive at the start-out but pay for themselves in conversions.
Eliminate Error Pages
Error – 404: Page not found and Error 302: Page Temporarily disabled, are the most common error pages on a website. Use Google Web Analytics to identify these pages. They are non-traffic generating and can actually harm your conversion rates. Remove them or redirect them to the actual relevant web pages.
Reduce Redirects
Over a period of time, Redirects tend to accumulate, affecting the loading speed. Web Design and Development services periodically scan the site for redirects and eliminate all broken and obsolete links. You can also restructure the hierarchy to minimise the redirect links.
Implement GZIP Compression
GZip is an application that reduces the size of the files. It minimises HTTPs requests and compresses files sent to the browser. The browser expands the files for display. This is enabled through embedded coding or by using the GZip application.
Enable Browser Caching
When Browser Caching is enabled, a first-time user essentially downloads most of the website data onto their browser cache. Only a few components need to be accessed on subsequent visits, significantly reducing the loading time.
Optimise for Mobile Browsers
In the first Quarter of 2020 alone, mobile phones accounted for nearly 52% of web browsing. Websites need to be responsive, using fonts and graphics that adapt quickly to any screen size. Use Google’s Test My Site application to analyse your mobile site speed and find how many conversions were lost to slow loading speeds.
Web design services in India are evaluating the simplest tricks to speed up website load time. Use the above-mentioned tips to optimise your website’s loading speed. Alternatively, consult with the Best Web Development Company in India, Open Design to get rid of your slow website woes.
