IntroductionLink to the Introduction of this page
The faster your website, the better it ranks on search engines. Quick sites make customers happy and give a good impression of your business. They’re also important for people on phones who might have slower internet connections.
The Economics of SpeedLink to the The Economics of Speed of this page
”According to research from digital performance measurement firm Dynatrace, just a half-second difference in page load times can make a 10% difference in sales for an online retailer.”
-BBC
Fast websites aren’t just more pleasant for users; they can significantly impact your bottom line. A slight delay in page load time can result in a substantial reduction in sales.
First Impressions and User ExperienceLink to the First Impressions and User Experience of this page
Your website is often the first point of contact between your business and potential clients. A fast and smooth website can leave a positive impression, which is crucial for customer retention and brand image. Slow websites aren’t just inconvenient; they’re stressful, emphasizing the importance of a fast, user-friendly site.
”89% of consumers switched to a competitor’s websites as a result of bad user experience.”
-Oracle
”53% of visits are likely to be abandoned if pages take longer than 3 seconds to load.”
-Google
How can we measure speed?Link to the How can we measure speed? of this page
Google provides two powerful tools that enable businesses direct insight into how their website is going to be ranked. These tools are, Core Web Vitals and Lighthouse.
”Core Web Vitals is a set of metrics that measure real-world user experience for loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability of the page.”
-Google
Core Web Vitals are Google’s way of quantifying user experience on a webpage. These metrics are important for both search engine ranking and ensuring a positive user experience. Google uses this to score as well as general performance rating when ranking search results.
Lighthouse takes a more comprehensive approach. This tool evaluates websites on multiple fronts: performance, accessibility, best practices and SEO. Lighthouse analyzes how quickly a page loads, its usability on mobile devices, and whether it follows web development best practices. For businesses, this generates critical data that can influence not just search engine rankings but the overall user experience. When used alongside Core Web Vitals, Lighthouse helps you gain a 360-degree view of your site’s speed and quality.
ConclusionLink to the Conclusion of this page
From user experience to SEO ranking, sales, and brand perception, the speed of your website is a key factor that can make or break your online business success. Investing in a fast, well-structured website is investing in the long-term sustainability, and growth of your business.