You probably agree a mobile-friendly website is essential, but fast-loading pages are just as crucial. Unfortunately, many websites don’t consider their loading times which is terrible for SEO.
The speed your content loads on the visitor’s screen is critical.
This is relevant because today’s consumer is very impatient. As a result, many website visitors hit back on the browser after waiting only 3 to 5 seconds.
It may seem like a 3-second wait is reasonable. But to many people, this is precious time. Unfortunately, some websites take up to 8 to 10 seconds to load a page, which is bad news for SEO.
The main problem with this is your bounce rates drastically increase. The bounce rate is a very short period for a visitor to spend on your website actively. If they only stay a few seconds, it is a bounce.
Even if they stay for several minutes, it is also a bounce if there are no interactions with your content.
The bounces that happen within a few seconds are the most critical.
They indicate that a visitor had no interest in your content at all. On the other hand, it could suggest the visitor was interested in your content, but the loading times caused the bounce.
How can you increase your website loading times?
If you feel that your loading times are too slow, you can continually optimize them in several ways. The most common and useful is to lower the size of your images. Some websites have extremely heavy headers, and they force loading times to be longer.
The main thing to keep in mind is that a fast-loading website will consistently achieve better results. This is something you can expect with both engagement and conversions.
Other improvements to increase your website loading times include:
1.Avoid inline CSS and JS files
2.Avoid redirects
3.Lower HTTP requests
4.Optimize caching
5.Use G-Zip encoding
All of these improvements will help you save precious loading times. That said, remember that a few seconds can mean the difference between a new client or someone who leaves your website to find another option.