Website Optimization: Why Speed Determines Website Success?

Did you know that 40% of visitors leave a website if it takes more than 3 seconds to load? And 80% of customers who have experienced problems with page speed never return to that page to shop.

If you have a website, you probably know how important its speed and user-friendliness are. All web development should also consider loading speed, as it affects both Google positioning and visitor experience.

Website speed is not just a technical indicator but an important business factor that affects your company's results.

What is website speed optimization?

Speed optimization means changing the website's code, structure and content so that the page loads as quickly as possible. This includes various technical aspects, such as:

• Image optimization (size and format)
• Code cleaning and compression
• Server response time improvement
• Effective use of browser cache
• etc.

Improving these aspects helps the page load faster, which in turn brings several important benefits.

Why is website speed important?

1. Better user experience

People are increasingly impatient – if a page doesn't open quickly, it causes frustration and may drive visitors away before they get to your offered product or service. A fast website creates a positive first impression!

2. Lower bounce rate

Studies show that as page loading time increases, the likelihood of visitor departure increases sharply. According to Google data, departure probability increases as follows:

• 1-3 seconds loading time: +32%
• 1-5 seconds loading time: +90%
• 1-6 seconds loading time: +106%
• 1-10 seconds loading time: +123%

3. Better position in search results (SEO)

Google uses page speed as one important factor in ranking pages in search results. Technical SEO, one part of which is speed optimization, helps your website reach higher positions.

4. More conversions

Fast pages convert visits to sales better. Walmart found that every second they managed to reduce their page loading time brought a 2% increase in conversion rate. For example, if a website gets 100,000 visits per month and the average purchase is €100, then even a 1 second faster page can bring +2% more buyers, or €4000 additional revenue per month.

How to know if your website needs speed improvement?

There are several signs and tools for this:

Hints that your page is slow through analytics:

1. High bounce rate – if people leave your page quickly, the reason might be slow loading.

2. Low page views per visit – visitors don't move forward on your page because they have to wait long.

3. Low conversion rate – if the page has many visitors but few purchases or inquiries, the page might seem slow or untrustworthy to customers.

Speed measurement tools:

1. Google PageSpeed Insights – free tool that analyzes your page speed and gives improvement suggestions.

2. GTmetrix – gives detailed overview of page loading time and problematic areas.

3. WebPageTest – professional tool that tests page speed in different locations and devices.

4. Website audit – free professional service we offer where we install analytics and identify bottlenecks on your website. Good opportunity for everyone who wants to understand how to increase their sales revenue.

When you visit your own page, does it seem slow?

How to speed up your website?

Website optimization is a technical process that requires specific knowledge. Here are some important steps:

1. Image optimization

Images often make up the majority of a website's data volume. Optimizing them (reducing size without losing quality) is one of the most effective ways to speed up your site.

2. Web hosting server quality

Cheap hosting may seem appealing, but it can significantly slow down your website. Investing in quality hosting pays off.

3. Using cache

Cache allows the page to load significantly faster for repeat visitors. Simply put, this means the browser remembers the content on your website and the visitor doesn't have to wait for it to load anymore.

4. Code optimization

Minifying and compressing JavaScript and CSS files reduces their size and speeds up loading.

5. Mobile-friendliness

Today, over 60% of web traffic is from mobile devices. A mobile-optimized page loads faster and provides a better user experience.

How to start optimizing your website?

The first step is website analysis or audit. This gives a clear picture of what condition your website is in and what are the main problems that need solving.

The audit should include:

• Speed analysis
• Technical SEO assessment
• User experience analysis
• Mobile-friendliness check
• Competitor analysis

As a result of a thorough audit, you get a clear action plan that helps optimize your website and improve its performance.

If your website is made with WordPress, there are corresponding plugins for acceleration. If your page is on Shopify, you don't need to worry too much about speed, as Shopify is built with small volume and naturally fast.

If you have questions about your website's speed or optimization possibilities, feel free to contact us!

Order a free website audit and find out how to speed up your website!