7 Reasons Why… Speed Auditing
Page speed refers to the length of time that it takes to load and display a full page of content on a website, or how long it takes for a browser to receive information from the website’s server.
There are various factors that affect a website’s page speed, from the website’s content and design to the speed of the web server that hosts the site.
If you’re unsure whether your website’s page speed is up to scratch, you can conduct what’s known as a speed audit on it. This outlines your website’s page speed and identifies any obvious factors that could be affecting your site’s page speed if it is slower than desired.
If you’re wondering whether you should consider a speed audit on your website, our team of experts are here to outline the 7 reasons why page speed is so important…
First impressions count
Your website will often be the first point of contact that a new customer makes with your business. A slow website can create a negative impression, making the website itself seem unsafe, and reducing trust in your brand.
Attention spans are lower than ever
In last week’s blog, we mentioned that the average human attention span is now just 8 seconds, and we can all admit to having a lack of patience when it comes to slow to load web pages.
According to a study by Radware, 67% of UK shoppers said that slow website loading is the most common reason for them to abandon an online purchase. So, if your page speed is too slow you risk losing potential customers that simply don’t have the patience to wait for your site to load, and as a result, end up abandoning your site before they find out more about your business.
Need for speed
In 2021 the bar is set high for page speeds and website quality. We expect good page speeds, and resent waiting for pages to load. The harsh reality is that if you can’t satisfy your customers’ need for speed, then they might simply look elsewhere.
Imagine you’re on a website and the page you really want to get to is super slow, what do you do? Chances are you come straight off the site and head to another brand to look for the product / service…
Encourage conversions
Abandonment rates are lower for websites with faster page speeds, so improving your page speed will increase the chances that visitors to your site will stay long enough to enquire about your services or purchase your products!
Page speed affects your site’s user experience
User experience is about the overall experience that a person has when they visit a website, particularly in terms of how easy it is to use. Page speed is an important factor when it comes to measuring the user experience of a site, as slow loading times will immediately affect the experience that your customer has while interacting with your website.
Page speed affects your site’s Google rankings
Google prioritises user experience highly when it comes to its search rankings. Consequently, if your site’s page speed is slow, you could find that your position in Google’s search results drop, even while you make other SEO efforts to try and improve your position.
This is important as many potential customers will look for your products or services via Google, and if your ranking in Google’s search results is low, they’ll most likely find your competitors before finding you. Improving your page speed is a simple way to improve your Google rankings, and consequently, increase traffic to your website.
Keep them coming back
As previously mentioned, a slow website will reduce the number of visitors that convert, and reduce feelings of trust in your brand. Consequently, this will cut down on the number of customers that return to your site, and tell others about your services.
Ensuring that your website boasts a good user experience will increase the likelihood that your customers will return to your website, and even recommend it to others. Considering your page speed is a great place to start if you’re looking to improve your site’s overall user experience and customer engagement.
If you feel like your website needs a little TLC to get your page speed up to scratch, our SEO services are on hand to put you one step ahead of your competition. Our range of SEO services includes speed auditing, to get your page speed improvement started.
Get in touch with us today to speak with one of our dedicated Account Managers, who will be able to explain in more depth the services we provide and how we can help you to fully realise the potential of your site.
