It is a new year and with the new year many people around the world make the new years resolution to finally lose some weight!
You could also make this resolution for your website. Lose website weight and speed up your site.
Studies show that nearly half your visitors expect your site to load within 2 seconds and that a mere 1-second delay in page response can cut conversions by 7%. Google engineers have found that even an eyeblink—about 400 milliseconds—is enough to make a difference.
Ensure your site is equipped to win users over quickly. To get your website running smoothly and loading fast, consider putting your site on a diet this year.
Here are some of the reasons your site might be a bit fat and slow
Too much code
Glutted code is a deal breaker when it comes to page load speeds. With a little finesse, your site can pick up the pace.
Your site might also be slowing down due to html, css or js page requests. Talk to your developer (or Unbound) to help get your code in order.
Too many (big) images
We all want big impact. But you don’t need to overdo big images to get that wow factor. Step back and check how you can trim the fat weighing down your site.
- Limit the number of images.
- Find a photo pro who can create the best-looking image for the smallest file size.
- Consider using SVGs (scalable vector graphics) when you’re going for big graphics instead of big photos.
There are also some tips and tricks you can use so the right sized image loads on different devices, like mobile.
Too much Flash
Although Flash is now often seen as an outmoded annoyance that Apple mobile products don’t support, it’s still around. Before you decide to stick with Flash instead of changing course, consider alternate approaches to lighten your site:
- Would an optimized image create a neat enough effect?
- How about HTML5, JavaScript, and CSS3? Check out neat examples of HTML5 at work, JavaScript innovations, and CSS3 sites for inspiration.
Too Far Away
For many businesses they are talking to customers in the same city or same country. Make sure your site is hosted as close to your customers as possible. This allows content to get to your customer quickly.
If you are serving customers in a number of countries you should look at a Content Delivery Network or CDN. A CDN hosts your content (images etc) in different countries and can be accessed by the user in that country making your site quicker, as content does not have to travel as far to get to the end-user.
Too much fancy fluff & stuff
You know, all the extra toolbars, trust seals, social buttons… they’re all so tempting. However, it’s imperative that you decide what you actually need.
Do an audit of your site for usability. Check that you’re driving your visitors down the funnels you intend on. Utilize tools like CrazyEgg’s heatmap to discover which extras are actually effective. Recruit an expert to optimize your site for conversion.
How we can help improve your site speed:
While you can take on streamlining code, experimenting with new technology, and conversion optimization on your own, the Unbound Digital Marketing team provides the know-how, creativity, and efficiency to get your site on the right track.
