The Importance Of Page Loading Time
Working with expert web development services can help your SEO and offer your business the advantage it needs to thrive online.
You're probably already well aware of the importance of SEO and the different factors that can help to influence these vital rankings. SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, refers to the ways in which you can improve your website in order to perform well in the rankings algorithms used by major search engines, such as Google.
SEO is vital
There are a number of criteria that feed into these algorithms to determine the order in which websites or pages are ranked in search results. The higher up the order that your website appears in these so-called 'organic' listings, the better it is for your business. That's because studies have shown that the first five unpaid websites listed in Google's search results get a staggering 67% of all click-throughs.
It's clear, then, than focussing on SEO is essential if you want to attract browsers to your website. And, when it comes to SEO, you need to be aware of the criteria used by the main search engines to calculate their rankings. These include factors such as:
- The security and accessibility of your website
- Page loading time
- The ability to access it seamlessly on a mobile device
- The age, URL and authority of your domain name
- SEO optimised content
- Quality of experience for users of your website
- Links
One of the biggest factors that affects your vital search engine ranking - page loading time - may initially seem hard to influence. However, there are a number of measures you can take to optimise the page loading time of your website, and enjoy improved rankings as a result.
Page loading time must be optimised
The figures regarding the importance of fast page loading times make for unequivocal reading. Google employee Maile Ohye advises that two seconds is the limit for an e-commerce website, while Google itself aims for less than half a second. Similarly, a review of its own website by the Financial Times Technology Department revealed that a loading delay of one second meant almost a 5% decrease in the number of articles read, which almost doubles when the delay stretches to three seconds.
This is backed up by other research, which has found that a delay of more than four seconds causes a quarter of visitors to give up and look elsewhere, and almost half of users (46%) will not visit a slow loading website twice. The best loading time for achieving conversions is two seconds, highlighting how a website's performance can directly impact sales.
The time it takes for your website to load will be affected by several factors. Everything from your choice of web hosting and the content included in your website to the browser or device being used by visitors will have a part to play. It's therefore a good idea to work with professional web development services, who will be able to help you cut your website loading time while ensuring that your website is still offering a superb user experience.
How to cut page loading times?
While there's unfortunately little you can do about slow browsers or outdated devices that visitors to your website may be using, there are steps you can take. First of all, check that your hosting is sufficient for your website's volume of traffic. While that cheaper web hosting package may look attractive, it could be harming your business in the long run if you're losing out on critical bandwidth as a result.
Look at your website's content, too. Using too many widgets and plug-ins could be slowing your loading speeds down, as could an overly complex website design. Heavy use of high definition images or videos, or text-heavy websites is likely to suffer from slower loading speeds than their more minimalist rivals.
Web development services give the best results
Simply choosing to work with web development services can enable you to cut page loading times, without compromising on the appearance or functionality of your website. These professionals will ensure that your website meets all the criteria for effective SEO, from security to mobile compatibility. It certainly makes sense to invest in this expertise to give your website, and your business, the best possible chance of success.