Online, speed is very important.

Hence the importance that the vast majority of website managers attach to page loading speed (time).

What is web page loading speed?

Without going into too many technical explanations (yet), the speed or loading time of a web page is the period required (measured in seconds) for it to be completely displayed in the user’s browser.

This time is very important in the context of user experience (UX) and search engine optimization (SEO).  

For UX, fast loading times are essential because they contribute to a more responsive and user-friendly page.

People who visit a website tend to prefer pages that load quickly and if this doesn’t happen according to the visitor’s expectations, many become frustrated and even abandon the page after a few seconds of waiting.

How fast should a web page load?

According to a study by skilled.co and referenced by Hubspot, 47% of customers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less.  

That means that if your web page takes longer than that to load, you’re losing a significant portion of your visitors – or at the very least, frustrating them.

A study by healthcare AI software company mPulse Mobile confirmed these results.

The study found that web pages that load in 2.4 seconds have a conversion rate of 1.9%. At 3.3 seconds, the conversion rate drops to 1.5%. At 4.2 seconds, it drops to less than 1%. And at over 5.7 seconds, it drops to just 0.6%.

In the context of SEO, loading speed is equally relevant.  

Search engines such as Google and Bing value performance in this respect and directly or indirectly consider it as one of the ranking criteria.

Slow-loading sites can be disadvantaged in search results, which negatively affects your organic traffic.

For those of us who have been around for a while, the importance of speed for SEO is not new.

We’ve been hearing about the importance of speed for SEO since 2010 and 8 years later, in 2018, Google confirmed what we all knew…

Here’s what Google announced:  

“Users want to find answers to their questions quickly, and data shows that people care a lot about how fast pages load.

The research team announced that speed would be a ranking signal for desktop searches in 2010, and starting this month (July 2018), page speed will also be a ranking factor for mobile searches.”

At the moment, it’s not clear that page load speed is still a direct ranking factor.

This is because in April 2023 Google updated its ranking systems and removed page experience (of which page load speed is a part) as a ranking factor.

Still, one thing is clear:

Nobody likes accessing a website page that loads slowly or even incompletely.  

It would be like going to a snack bar, ordering a coffee and having to wait 10 minutes to be served.

I doubt any of us would wait… I wouldn’t!!!

Well, that’s how the user feels on a slow site ????

@SmartLinks

A portion of the websites we make and that our clients use (maybe 40-50%) are made in WordPress, so we’re going to focus on tips to improve the performance of websites in this CMS. However, most of the suggestions are valid for other CMSs.

How can we improve the loading performance (speed) of a WordPress website?

Let’s turn your WordPress website into a real Formula 1:

• Choosing Web Hosting: Choosing good web hosting is like choosing the best shoes for a marathon: it’s essential if you don’t want to end up with blisters!

• Lightweight Themes: WordPress allows you to use pre-made themes and that’s great, but be careful! Always choose light and efficient themes. Many themes come loaded with plugins and features that you don’t need at all. Think of it this way: a site loaded with extras is like a tourist dragging around unnecessary suitcases.

• Essential plugins: Speaking of plugins. Plugins are pieces of code that add important functionality, but use them as you would condiments in a recipe: necessary, but too much spoils everything.

• Image compression: Non-optimized images? Avoid bmp and png files and preferably use jpg and webp. And use responsive images! What’s the point of having an image 900px wide when a smartphone screen can only hold images 300px wide? It’s like hunting a mosquito with a machine gun.

• Caching is fundamental: Implementing caching is like having an efficient assistant, always ready to serve your visitors. A Wwb cache is a set of website data that a server temporarily stores for quick and easy access in the future.

• Video hosting: don’t host videos directly on your website’s database. It will slow it down unnecessarily. Use Youtube, which is free, or a paid service like Vimeo, Wistia or Vydiard.

• Minimize CSS and JavaScript: Heavy CSS and JavaScript files may as well go on a diet. Use minimization software and make them lose the extra pounds.

• CDN – Global Distribution: A content delivery network (CDN) allows you to “deliver” the data that makes up your website faster, especially to users who are further away from your original server. Using a CDN is like having warehouses all over the world. Nobody likes to wait, especially online.

• Regular database cleaning: Keep your site’s database clean and organized. Digital hoarding? No thanks!

• Reduce Postbacks: A postback is the exchange of information between servers to communicate the action a user takes on your website or app. Fewer postbacks = less work for the server = more speed for your site. ¿Comprende? Bueno!

• Constant Updates: Updating themes and plugins is like taking vitamins: it’s essential for keeping your site healthy.

• Analysis Tools: Use them regularly, we even recommend monthly. It’s like having a personal trainer. A very annoying personal trainer who is always pointing out your mistakes and is never satisfied…but deep down you know it’s for your own good ????

That was a sort of top10 of good, beautiful and cheap things to do to improve the speed of your WordPress website.

Now on to the more advanced tips for the nerdy crowd:

• Lazy Loading: The name is not misleading. It’s “lazy loading”. In other words, only load content when it’s needed. It’s digital magic! What’s the point of immediately loading a page with 25 images if the user sees the first 3, is satisfied and leaves? For videos then there’s no doubt about it, it’s the best option!

• DNS preloading: The purpose of preloading (prefetching or preconnect depending on the purpose) is to make data available in the cache before the data consumer makes the request – a click on a url is a request for the server to make a page available. It improves page delivery speed and is similar to warming up before a race.

• Choosing Efficient Web Fonts: Did you know that choosing the right fonts for your website can make all the difference? For example Google Fonts. According to Google: “Using code generated by Google Fonts, our servers will automatically send the smallest possible file to each user, based on the technologies supported by their browser… This makes the web faster for all users, especially in areas where bandwidth and connectivity are an issue.”

• TTFB (Time to First Byte) optimization: Speed up the time until the first byte is delivered. ttfb is a parameter used to measure the responsiveness of a web server. In other words, it is the time elapsed between a request from the HTTP client and the reception of the first byte of the web page.

• Advanced Caching (Object Caching, Database Caching): Explore the various forms of caching for superior performance. Object caching speeds up database performance, which is very important if you want a fast WordPress site.

• Advanced Server Settings (e.g. HTTP/2, Keep-Alive): Keep-Alive, which is also known as persistent connection, is a communication standard between a server and a client to reduce the amount of HTTP requests and speed up a web page. It’s like a diplomatic communications channel that stays open???? to facilitate…communication. HTTP/2 solves several problems that the creators of HTTP/1.1 didn’t foresee. It’s faster and more efficient than HTTP/1.1 because, for example, it prioritizes content during the loading process.

• Optimization for First Meaningful Paint (FMP): Focus on optimizing the moment when the main content of the page is loaded and interactive. This is an increasingly important metric. The saying goes: the first impression is the one that sticks!

• Use of Progressive Web Apps (PWA): Consider turning your site into a PWA for a faster and more engaging user experience, especially on mobile devices. Although it’s not the same as a native app, it can present a good compromise for mobile.

• Database Query Optimization: We’ve already talked a little above about cleaning up the database. In this case, the focus is on optimizing database queries. It ensures that queries are efficient and don’t overload the server.

With these tips, your WordPress site will not only load at blazing speed, but visitors will be amazed at how quickly they can navigate!

This concludes the topic of speed optimization:

Optimizing the loading speed of a website is a fundamental aspect, which establishes a vital bridge between Technical SEO and User Experience (UX).

“In a digital age where speed is valued and competition is fierce, a website that loads quickly is not a luxury, it’s an imperative.”

From a technical SEO point of view, loading speed has a direct impact on search engine positioning.

Faster websites are preferred by the algorithms and improving the speed of a site can result in better positioning in the SERP, increase traffic and therefore raise the relevance and authority of your website.

When it comes to UX (user experience), a fast website improves user satisfaction exponentially.

A page that appears quickly keeps users interested, reduces the abandonment rate and encourages longer browsing, which can lead to an increase in conversions, whether in sales, subscriptions or interactions.  

In addition, the speed and fluidity of a website also conveys an image of professionalism and competence, reinforcing your brand.

Therefore, dedicating time and resources to optimizing a website’s loading speed is an investment in its long-term success, both from an SEO and UX point of view.

The tactics discussed in this article, from selecting a suitable hosting service to implementing advanced optimization methods, are crucial steps in ensuring that your site not only meets, but exceeds the expectations of users and search engines.

Want to take your website to the next level?

Contact SmartLinks for a customized strategy that increases the conversion of visitors into business by improving your site’s Technical SEO and User Experience.

Join us and find out how we can transform your business!