In today’s fast-paced world, people expect to be able to find the information they need quickly and easily. This is especially true when it comes to ecommerce shopping; no customer wants to wait around for a page to load. That’s why page loading speed is so important. Not only does it impact the user experience, but it can also affect your bottom line. Google has found that a slow loading website can lead to a loss in traffic and revenue. A study conducted by Neil Patel, estimates that a 1 second delay in page loading time can cost you up to $7 per visitor. So if you’re looking to improve your website, one of the first things you should focus on is increasing your page loading speed.

A slow page loading speed can adversely affect your online store in a number of ways. First, it can lower your search engine ranking, as Google and other search engines now consider page loading speed as a factor in determining their algorithms. This means that if your site loads slowly, it will be less likely to appear at the top of search results. Second, a slow page loading speed will frustrate visitors to your site, causing them to click away to find a faster-loading site. Additionally, a slow page loading speed can decrease conversion rates, as potential customers are less likely to complete a purchase if they have to wait too long for the page to load. In short, a slow page loading speed can have serious negative consequences for your ecom store. Therefore, it is important to take steps to ensure that your site loads as quickly as possible.

How page speed impacts your website’s user experience

Online shoppers are becoming increasingly savvy, and they expect a smooth, seamless experience when they visit an ecommerce site. Page loading speed is a crucial factor in providing this type of experience. A study by Google found that a slow loading speed can cause users to abandon a purchase, and that even a delay of one second can result in a significant drop in conversion rates. The study also found that users are less likely to return to a site if they experienced slow loading speeds. 

Tips to improve your website’s page load speed

One of the most important factors in a website’s success is its page loading speed. If a page takes too long to load, users are likely to click away in frustration. The good news is that there are a number of simple steps that can be taken to improve page loading speed. One of the most effective methods is to reduce the size of image files. This can be done by using file compression software or by reducing the resolution of images. Another helpful tip is to minify HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. This process removes unnecessary characters, such as white space and comments, from code files, resulting in smaller file sizes. Additionally, redirects should be used sparingly, as each redirect adds additional time to the page loading process. By following these tips, ecommerce store owners can ensure that their pages load quickly and efficiently.

How to measure your page speed and track improvements

There are a few different ways to measure page loading speed and track improvements over time. One way to measure page loading speed is to use a tool like Google’s PageSpeed Insights and Pingdom. 

PageSpeed Insights

Google’s PageSpeed Insights is a tool that allows you to measure the loading speed of a webpage. The tool will generate a report that includes a score from 0-100, with 100 being the fastest. The report will also provide insights on how to improve the page’s loading speed. To use the PageSpeed Insights tool, simply enter the URL of the page you wish to test into the search bar and click “Analyze.” Within seconds, you will have a report that contains your page’s loading speed score and suggestions on how to improve it.

Pingdom

Pingdom is a paid service that offers a variety of tools for monitoring website performance, including page loading times. Once you have signed up for an account, you can use the Pingdom tools to test the loading speed of individual pages on your website and track improvements over time. 

Web Browser Developer Tools

Finally, you can also check your page loading speeds using your web browser’s built-in developer tools. Each browser has its own set of developer tools, but they all generally offer the ability to check page loading times. By tracking your page loading speeds over time, you can identify areas where your website needs improvement and make changes accordingly.

Wrap-Up

At BGS we are dedicated to ensuring that we optimize your store all-rounded by covering all steps of optimization which speed happens to be one of them. A store with a slow page loading speed will cost you ad money when you send visitors to your store who get frustrated and leave without purchasing. Speak with one of our experts today to speed-optimize your ecommerce store to improve its conversion rate. 

Resources

Patel, N., 2022. How Loading Time Affects Your Bottom Line. [online] Neil Patel. Available at: <https://neilpatel.com/blog/loading-time/> [Accessed 6 September 2022].

Thinkwithgoogle.com. 2022. [online] Available at: <https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/app-and-mobile/mobile-page-speed-new-industry-benchmarks-load-time-vs-bounce/> [Accessed 6 September 2022].