In today’s online business world, website speed is essential. Not only do faster websites convert better, but they also rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). And while many factors affect website speed, some common culprits include large images, unoptimized code, and too many plugins or scripts.
Luckily, this is something that can be fixed relatively easily when you know what to look for. Therefore, in this article, we’ll discuss why website speed is so important and how you can make your e-store run faster.
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Why Is Website Speed Important?
There are several reasons why website speed is so important. Perhaps the most important reason is that it directly impacts conversions. A study by Akamai found that a one-second delay in page load time can result in a 7% loss in conversion rates. That means if your eCommerce website takes 5 seconds to load, you could be losing out on 35% of potential customers. Regardless of the type and size of the business you are running, that’s a huge loss.
Another reason why website speed is so important is that it affects your Google ranking. In 2010, Google announced that site speed was one of the signals used by their algorithm to rank pages. And while the weight given to this factor has decreased over the years, it’s still an important ranking factor and will likely become even more important in the future. And if that wasn’t enough, fast websites also result in happier users and lower bounce rates. So, before you write off website speed as insignificant, consider all of the ways it can affect your business and take the necessary steps to improve it.
Use Managed WooCommerce Hosting
Managed WooCommerce hosting is a type of web hosting service that is specifically designed for online stores. It provides businesses with all of the features they need to run their store smoothly, including caching, security, and backups. In addition, managed WooCommerce hosting providers offer expert 24/7 support so that business owners can focus on running their business instead of dealing with technical issues.
There are many reasons why businesses should use managed WooCommerce hosting for their e-commerce store. First, it can help improve website performance by providing businesses with access to powerful servers and caching technologies. Second, it helps keep websites secure by providing built-in security features and regular updates. Third, it makes backing up websites easy so that businesses can rest assured that their data is safe.
If you’re looking for a reliable and affordable managed WooCommerce hosting provider, be sure to check out different options, so you can find the one that best suits your business’s needs. Once you do, visit their site and sign up for an account. From there, you can start building your dream online store and have peace of mind knowing that your website is in good hands.
Use a Content Delivery Network
A content delivery network (CDN) is a system of distributed servers that deliver webpages and other content to users based on their geographic location. CDNs can help improve website performance by caching content and delivering it to users from the server that is closest to them. This reduces the need for users to download content from the main server, which can help improve website speed.
If you want to use a CDN for your WooCommerce store, there are many options available. One option is to use a free CDN service. These services will provide you with a free SSL certificate so that your site is encrypted and secure, as well as caching your content on their servers. However, paid CDN services will provide you with more features, such as the ability to set up a custom domain, and they usually have better uptime than free CDN services. And while they will cost you a monthly fee it is generally worth it for the improved performance and security they provide.
Optimize Your Images
Images are an important part of any website, but they can also be a major contributor to slow loading times. This is because images are generally larger than text, which means they take longer to download. In addition, if you have a lot of images on your website, it can further slow down your page loading times.
There are several ways that you can optimize your images to help improve website speed. One way is to use an image compression tool, such as WP Smush, to reduce the file size of your images without compromising quality. Another way is to lazy load your images, which means that images are only loaded when they are visible on the screen. This can help improve page loading times, especially on pages with a lot of images. If you’re not sure how to lazy load your images, many WordPress plugins can help, such as BJ Lazy Load.
Also read: 5 Steps to Choosing the Most Affordable Website Development Company
Use a Caching Plugin
Caching is the process of storing frequently-accessed data in a temporary location so that it can be quickly accessed the next time it is needed. When it comes to websites, caching can help improve page loading times by storing static files, such as HTML and CSS, in the browser’s cache. This means that the browser doesn’t have to download these files every time someone visits your website, which can help improve website speed.
You can find different caching plugins available for WordPress, but some of the most popular options include W3 Total Cache and WP Rocket. Both of these plugins offer a variety of features to help improve website performance, including page caching, browser caching, and database caching. In addition, both plugins provide a variety of options to help you customize how they work. For example, you can set up W3 Total Cache to only cache certain pages or files, or you can set WP Rocket to preload the cache so that it is always up-to-date.
While you can’t control everything that affects your website’s speed, as you can see, there are many smart things that you can do to help improve its performance. By following the tips above, you can make your WooCommerce store run faster and provide a better experience for your customers. Just remember, website speed is important, so don’t wait to take action. Start implementing some of these tips today and see the difference it makes for your business.