If you’ve ever clicked on a website and been met with that frustrating loading page for more than a couple of seconds, chances are, you’ve clicked away and found another site to answer your question. But how do you avoid the same happening to your own website? In our years of experience, we find that one basic technical SEO element is often overlooked—site speed!
Whether you’re new to the idea of site speed or are looking for more technical SEO ideas for your website, we’ve got you covered. Understand the importance of site speed for your customers and search engines alike!
What is Site Speed?
Site speed is a measurement of how quickly your website loads. Some sites take forever to load, whereas others pop up almost immediately after clicking the link. Whether you’re working on a blogging strategy or looking into technical SEO, If you want to grab a user’s attention and keep them on your page, enhancing your site speed can make all the difference in your online traffic.
3 Reasons to Focus on Your Site Speed:
1. Improve conversion rates
2. Increase search engine ranking
3. Enhance user experience
1. Quick Site Speeds Improve Conversion Rates
Site speed directly affects conversion rates on your website, whether you’re offering an SEO strategy service or selling a physical product. It’s proven that users stay on fast-loading sites longer, which means they have a higher success rate in completing their desired action. Fast websites have been linked to low bounce rates and high conversion rates, so focusing on site speed as an essential part of technical SEO can make a difference to your sales and clicks.
2. Search Engines Use Site Speed While Ranking
Search engines aim to suggest trustworthy pages that provide a positive user experience—so much so that site speed has become a critical ranking factor for technical SEO. Increasing your site speed keeps users happy and ensures the search engine algorithm that your website is helpful and reliable. Although a one- or two-second change may not seem drastic, forgetting to check your site speed can make an impact on how Google ranks your site.
3. Site Speed Enhances User Experience
Did you know that 53% of visits are abandoned if loading takes longer than 3 seconds? When a user clicks on a link to your site, every second counts—if your site speed is slow, you can lose business. People are more likely to make purchases from websites that work efficiently and that they can trust to work time and time again. Focus on page experience and ensure your website loads quickly; you will receive more clicks and likely get repeat business!
What Is a Good Site Speed?
Since technical SEO and search engine algorithms are always changing and growing, the “best” site speed for your website may be, too. Right now, the belief is that your website should load within two to three seconds. Any longer and a user will click away and bring their business elsewhere.
Take the time to test your site speed ASAP and do all you can to make it speedy. Improve your site speed, and you’ll likely see a world of difference in the success of your business!