The time it takes for your website to load is called, “Site Speed”. This is important because how quickly, or slowly your website loads will affect your bounce rate (the number of users who leave your website right away for one reason or another). Slow websites always have higher bounce rates than fast websites. So what can be done to make your website load as quickly as possible? In this post we will go over some best practices and tips to keep your website running as fast as possible.
Animation / Movement
While it definitely looks cool, animation or motion graphics on your website will slow it down. These effects often require script to load before your website does, thus making it take longer for the first images to appear on the page. Motion can really add to a website, but use sparingly.
Tracking Code and Popups
Tracking code is usually required to be placed in the header, so it loads before the rest of the website, adding to the load time. One tracking code usually has a minimal effect, but adding more can cause trouble. Especially codes that track ecommerce activities. Make sure you only place necessary tracking code on your website, and remove anything not being used.
Poor Site Structure
The way websites are built also affects the site’s speed. If the structure of the site is clunky or not organized correctly, the page will take longer to load. If you are using a CMS (Content Management System like Wix, SquareSpace, etc.) you can avoid a lot of this, as the CMS will do most of the work for you. But it’s still possible to interfere with the site structure by being sloppy or adding too much to the page.
Large Images
If you are using a CMS, chances are it is automatically compressing your images upon upload. But it is still a good idea to upload web optimized images anyways. Images are usually the largest part of any website, so keep this in mind as you upload those pictures.
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