Why is website loading speed important?

When was the last time you shut down a site because it was taking too long to load? Probably not that long ago. Studies show that over 50% users abandon pages that take longer than three seconds to load. Fast loading times aren't just a nice-to-have detail, they're a major factor in a website's success.

Site load speed https://pagespeed.web.dev/ - is a key aspect of your online success. If your site is loading slower than three seconds, it's time to take action. Fast loading times not only help you gain user love, but also boost your search engine rankings. Remember, in online business, speed matters!

Speed is important for the following reasons:

• User Experience (UX): nobody likes to wait. The faster the site loads, the less likely the user is to hit the back button.
• Customer retention: studies show that a 1 second delay can reduce conversion rates by 7%.
• SEO promotion : loading speed is one of the ranking factors in Google. Slow sites get less traffic.
• Mobile traffic: smartphone users are particularly sensitive to download speeds.

Fast load times are a win on all fronts!

Google ranking factors

Google is smarter than ever. Its algorithms take hundreds of factors into account to evaluate sites, and load speed is not the least on that list. But how exactly does it affect ranking?

The main ranking factors:

• Main content display time.
• The delay before the first user interaction.
• Stability of visual content.
• Mobile adaptation: sites that perform slowly on smartphones lose ground in search results.
• SSL certificate: an HTTPS connection affects Google's trust in your site.
• Server response time: request processing speed is important for both UX and ranking.

Even if you have unique and useful content, a slow site can significantly limit your chances of ranking at the top of the search results.

Impact on SEO:

• Improvement of positions in search engines.
• Increased page indexation.
• Reducing the bounce rate (bounce rate).

By the way, it's funny, but in the digital world, a slow website is often compared to a cafe where the waiter brings the menu after the customer has already left. No one wants to wait when there are so many fast and efficient alternatives around.

How to avoid penalties for a slow website

Many website owners don't even realise that slow speeds can lead to penalties from Google. Here's what you should consider.

First, check your site for major problems. For example:

• Image compression. Use WebP or JPEG formats and tools like TinyPNG.
• Setting up caching. Activate browser caching to save download time.
• Code Minification. Remove spaces and unnecessary elements from HTML, CSS and JS.

Also of note:

• Removal of unnecessary scripts and plugins.
• Database Optimisation.
• Reducing the number of redirects.
• Using a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to ensure that the site loads evenly across different regions.

A mistake that often occurs is unaccounted for heavy videos or animations. Such content can be beautiful, but its cost to site speed is too high. Approach it wisely!

The best tools for measuring speed

To optimise your site speed, you need to measure it first. This can be done using the following services:

• Google PageSpeed Insights : a free tool from Google that evaluates your site speed and provides recommendations.
• GTmetrix : offers a detailed report on what slows down page loading.
• Pingdom Tools: an easy-to-use service to analyse load times.
• WebPageTest: helps to evaluate the performance of a website in different browsers.

These tools provide useful recommendations that you can implement on your own or with the help of experts. For example, if your website is often used on mobile devices, it is important to test it with a focus on mobile performance.

Why mobile speed is important

Mobile devices account for more than 60% of global internet traffic. If your website doesn't perform well on smartphones, it's not only fraught with traffic loss, but also penalties from Google. Mobile UX (user experience) is becoming increasingly important and user expectations are rising. No one wants to wait a long time for a page to load, especially if the battery power drops during that time.

Tip: Optimise the mobile versions of your website not only for speed, but also for usability. This includes easy navigation, accessible buttons and no annoying adverts.

And, by the way, don't forget: if a user says he has bad internet, it's his problem, of course, but if the site loads slowly for everyone, it's yours. And the modern user can be so impatient that while your site is loading, he may have time to make coffee, check his email and plan a holiday. Don't give your competitors a chance to be the first to grab his attention!