First impressions are an essential part of business success, which is why website speed is an essential element of web design. If a user arrives at a website, it’s estimated they’ll leave if it hasn’t loaded within 3 seconds. Therefore, web developers should aim to achieve a load speed of 1-2 seconds, which can be accomplished by carrying out the following optimisation techniques.
Use a Better Hosting Provider
Hosting providers store your website on a server and facilitate user access. Like everything, there are many types and standards of hosting providers, which is why you need to make sure you’re using one aligned with your website. The three types of hosting setups include:
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- Dedicated server. This type of hosting stores your website on its own server, meaning it runs faster than any other option. Is the most expensive option.
- Virtual Private Server (VPS). Distributes your content across multiple servers, and your web configuration has zero influence over other users, meaning a site runs faster.
- Shared hosting. The most common and cheapest hosting. Your website is hosted in a shared CPU with other sites, which is why it’s not as fast as other options.
Minimise CSS and Java Files
If you’ve had a reputable web design agency write unique CSS and Java for your website, you’ll have an edge over your competition, especially if they’re using generic plugins. However, some CSS and Java files can weigh a website server down, which decreases the speed. Therefore, if you’ve tried everything and still fall short, return to the web development agency in the UK and have them minimise these files.
Consider Media File Size
Websites with appealing pictures and videos will perform better than those without, but it can take a toll on your website’s storage capacity and speed. For example, if your media files are too large, they’ll take a long time to load. You can compress media using a range of web tools like Kraken, JPEGmini, or ImageOptim. Alternatively, a web development agency can take care of everything for you, leaving you free to focus on other areas.
Rely on a Content Delivery Network (CDN)
If your content is stored on a single server in one location, all traffic will pass through this, which will reduce load times for some people. Whereas, if your website uses a CDN, which is a network of servers spread across different locations, users will be directed to their closest server and they’ll see a faster loading speed.
Use a Web Design Agency
Optimising a website’s load time can be time-consuming, which is why the best practice might be to outsource the task to an external company. Doing this will ensure your website follows the latest trends and it loads fast, which improves the user experience. To find out what to look for in a web design agency, check out this article.
If you fail to meet user expectations when it comes to loading times, potential customers will turn to your competitors. By following the tactics outlined above, your website will load a lot faster.
