When starting a new website, sometimes it can hit the ground running, but there are other times it might appear on users’ screens a little slower. When this happens, it can impact the enjoyment of your users when they try to visit, leading to an increase in bounce rates as they leave for elsewhere. Are there good ways to avoid this, and how do you implement them so you can be on par with the most high-performance websites out there?
Below, we lay out several effective strategies you can leverage to optimize the website load time for your site. By following these high-performance site tips, you are much more likely to convert users and see success in your business. So, read on and discover the insights and solutions you need to boost the satisfaction of your site’s users.
1. Minimizing HTTP Requests
Having too many HTTP requests for each page can have a major impact on the amount of time it takes to both access and download everything a user needs. One solution to this is to combine many of these files when possible.
Instead of having a litany of different CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files, turn them into as few as possible for each. This will lend itself to a drastic reduction in the number of requests that a user’s browser needs to make to the server. At the same time, it is possible to embed critical CSS into an HTML document, meaning the browser can access this data as soon as the site starts to load.
Another option to speed up an image-heavy site would be to use CSS sprites. In a similar vein to using a single JavaScript file as above, you can use one image for several images on a webpage. The site will then translate parts of the image to the right areas, ensuring the user only needs to download it once, reducing the server load.
2. Optimizing Images
Ensure you choose the right format for any images you use on the website. Select those which are going to be smaller, as well as appropriate for the type of image you wish to display. For example, use:
- JPG for detailed photos
- PNG for site graphics or when transparency is necessary
- WEBP for if you want a high-quality image with a small file size
- GIF if you need to display a simple animation
If you want a logo that looks good at any resolution, you may even want to investigate SVGs as they are both lightweight and scaleable. Although, these are not images that the lay- user will know how to edit.
Once you have the image, use compression tools to ensure it is as small as possible. Also, when possible, reduce the number of them you use on the site and remove any that are unnecessary. The best-optimized image is no image, but only if the site still communicates what it needs to.
3. Allowing for Browser Caching
When implementing your site, use the HTTP headers to instruct browsers on how much content they should cache. You should also set an expiry date for this content so the user’s computer will re-download it at an appropriate time. While this may not help you on your first load, it will have two benefits on each subsequent visit:
- Their site load speed will be much higher due to loading less data
- A reduced server load will free up bandwidth for other users
When you are at peak capacity, you will be grateful for every byte of extra data available, and not feeding that to other users will help.
4. Utilizing a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
With a CDN, you can spread your content across multiple servers, meaning you can push your site to people from many different locations. This allows the user to pull your site from the location that is closest to them and that happens to be faster at any moment.
This can also offer redundancy and help balance the load during peak times. As a result, you won’t need to worry so much about your site going down due to a single faulty server.
5. Prioritizing Critical Visual Content
Only loading what a user needs can have a significant impact on your ability to improve the site speed of any page you control. There is no need, after all, to load anything below the fold if the user is going to stay right at the top.
For everything further down the page, implement lazy loading. This will defer downloads unless the user makes an active effort to move elsewhere on the page. This can save huge amounts of data and frontload only the stuff the user wants.
How Good Web Design Can Increase Website Performance
Having a site that performs well is not only a technical job. You can also design for speed.
While having a beautiful site can be very useful, if your users are not visiting due to slow loading times, you are throwing your money in the trash. Instead, have a design that only has what you need to show people, and perform tests to ensure the layout is optimized for users. That way, they will load the parts they need at all times and nothing more, reducing upload waste.
Try to also use features that are available on as many browsers as possible. For example, do not use a unique font when a common web font will suffice. For every extra thing a user needs to get for themselves, that is another unnecessary file you need to serve them.
Stay on Par With High-Performance Websites
Many of these strategies focus on technical areas, including optimizing files, browser caching, or using a CDN. While these can all lead to a much better user experience for your customers, we also know that these are complex concepts. You may need a little help in implementing them.
Eyedeal Creative has the expertise necessary to bring your site up to speed. Working with you, we can allow you to compete with high-performance websites in your industry. So, get in touch and let us know what your needs are and we will let you know what we can do.
