Home RESOURCES What is the impact of slow page load times and how can you improve it?
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One Stop Media

What is the impact of slow page load times and how can you improve it?

This article will cover how page load times impact your business performance and what you can do to improve them. It should first be said that all digital marketing metrics are related. A top digital marketing agency in Melbourne, like One Stop Media, will take a holistic approach to digital marketing, establishing your business history, future goals, and specific business objectives. 

The digital marketing objectives feed into the business objectives and work to make them happen. In the grand scheme of things, your page load time is a straightforward metric that can have repercussions for others, such as bounce, abandonment, and conversion rate. When a digital marketing agency in Melbourne takes a view of your website, taking into account all these interconnected factors, you have a good chance of boosting your digital marketing success.

What slow page load times really mean for your business

When potential customers navigate to your website, they expect it to be fast. Any website that is not fast will annoy them. They will get impatient, and they will bounce right out of there. We’re talking about a negative user experience (UX). If you provide an under-par UX, your conversion rate will suffer. Think about it – if a customer can’t even make it to your website because it loads so slowly, you won’t have a chance to convert them into customers, and even worse, they may now think less of your business. 

Sources say that two more seconds of load time can up a site’s bounce rate by 103%. By the same token, 100 milliseconds of extra load time can reduce conversions by 7%. So your website’s loading time really matters. Even a small change to reduce the time taken for your website to load could profoundly affect your business outcomes. Especially when site speed can impact how high you appear in Google search results pages (SERPs). Learning how to fix website lag is essential if you want to succeed as a business in today’s digital-savvy world.

How to fix website lag, reduce bounce rate, and increase conversions

While having a slow website can be frustrating for you and your customers, there is a lot you can do to remedy the situation once you know how to fix website lag. If you are working with a digital marketing agency in Melbourne, these are the best methods they will recommend to fix website lag and boost your website speed. Follow these tips: 

Optimise your images

Unoptimised images take up a lot of website space, which can cause slow loading. Image size and format should be chosen carefully to avoid interfering with UX.

Audit your JavaScript 

Dynamic content is controlled by JavaScript/jQuery plugins, but too much JavaScript can cause a bloating effect that lengthens page load time. Use JavaScript sparingly. 

Remove Flash content

Flash is a way of adding interactivity to a website, but it is now outdated and could be adding to your website’s loading times. Replace Flash with HTML5 alternatives for better performance.

Reduce HTTP requests

JavaScript, CSS, and image files contribute to the number of HTTP requests on your web page. Each file must be loaded individually, which can add to the page load speed.

Use caching

Caching stores frequently used data in cached memory, which means retrieving it quicker the next time it is needed. It can boost the performance of websites dramatically.

Clean up your code

Your website code can also affect page load times, so it’s a good idea to review it and eliminate messy coding. It could make a big difference!

Use a CDN service

A content delivery network (CDN) service provides data with high availability and performance by serving requested content by the nearest geographical data centre. This saves time when loading sites.  

Switch hosting provider

While most major hosting providers should always look for ways to optimise loading speeds, unfortunately, some may not be suited to your website’s needs. Make sure you’re getting a good deal.

Speed up your website with One Stop Media’s website development

At One Stop Media, we truly offer a holistic approach to digital marketing. We’re a rare breed of digital marketing agency in Melbourne that looks at your online presence from the ground up. We can point you in the right direction to align your online image with your business goals.

Our team of developers can fix website lag that you may be experiencing on your site, so talk to us today.