Common Issues With Website Speed and Their UX and SEO Impact

Website speed, also known as page speed or site speed, refers to the time it takes for a website to fully load and display its content on a user’s web browser. This is a common technical issue uncovered when performing a technical SEO audit. It’s typically measured in seconds or milliseconds. However, it is influenced by various factors, such as the size of the webpage, the number of resources it loads (e.g., images, videos, scripts), the server response time, and the user’s internet connection speed. A fast website speed is essential because it can improve user experience, increase engagement and conversions, and even impact search engine rankings.

What are the most common causes of page speed issues?

Hosting

The quality and reliability of the hosting service can significantly impact website speed. For example, cheap or shared hosting services can result in slow loading times due to limited server resources, while dedicated or cloud hosting can provide faster speeds.

Here are some factors to consider when choosing a hosting provider:

• Performance and reliability: Look for a hosting provider offering fast load times, reliable uptime, and scalable resources to handle traffic spikes.
• Security: Ensure the hosting provider offers robust security features, such as SSL certificates, firewalls, and malware scanning.
• Customer support: Choose a hosting provider that offers responsive customer support, preferably 24/7, to resolve any issues that may arise quickly.
• Price: Compare prices and features of different hosting providers to find one that fits your budget and offers the needed features.
• Scalability: Look for a hosting provider that can accommodate your website’s growth and allows for easy upgrades as your needs change.
• Control panel: Choose a hosting provider that offers an intuitive control panel that allows you to manage your website and hosting settings easily.
• Reputation and reviews: Look for reviews and ratings of the hosting provider from reputable sources and other customers to get an idea of their reputation and customer satisfaction.
• Specialized hosting: If your website requires specialized hosting, such as WordPress or eCommerce hosting, choose a hosting provider specializing in that area.

Image size

Large image sizes can slow down a website, so optimizing images by compressing them and reducing their file size is important. Here are some tips for optimizing image size:

• Resize images: Use an image editing tool to resize images to the appropriate dimensions needed for the website. For example, if an image will be displayed as a thumbnail, it doesn’t need to be as large as an image displayed as a full-screen background.
• Compress images: Compressing images can reduce file size without reducing image quality. Many online tools and image editing software, such as TinyPNG, Optimizilla, and Adobe Photoshop, can compress images.
• Choose the right file format: Choosing the right one can also help reduce image size. For example, JPEG is a suitable photograph format, while PNG is better for graphics and illustrations. SVG is also a good option for vector graphics.
• Use lazy loading: Lazy loading is a technique that only loads images as the user scrolls down the page rather than loading all images at once. This can improve website speed and reduce the amount of data that needs to be transferred.

Not Using A Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a distributed server network that delivers content, such as images, videos, and other static assets, to users based on their geographic location. CDNs are designed to improve website speed and performance by reducing the distance between the user and the server delivering the content.

CDNs work by caching website content on multiple servers located around the world. When a user requests content from a website, the CDN automatically routes the request to the closest server in its network. The server then delivers the cached content to the user, reducing the amount of time it takes for the content to load. CDNs can also help reduce server load, improve website uptime, and protect against DDoS attacks.

Using a hosting service that includes a CDN is an integral part of optimizing page speed.

Website Code

Bloated or poorly written code can slow down a website. Therefore, optimizing and streamlining code is essential to ensure fast loading times. Code bloat can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• It is using a CMS or website builder with too many features that are not needed for the website’s functionality.
• Incorporating too many plugins or add-ons can slow down the website and increase the risk of conflicts between different pieces of code.
• Not optimizing code, such as failing to minify CSS and JavaScript files or not removing unused code, can result in larger file sizes and slower loading times.
• It bloated frameworks or libraries with more functionality than needed for the website’s requirements.

Plugins and Scripts

Too many plugins and scripts can bog down a website, so it’s important only to use essential ones and regularly remove any that are no longer needed.

Here are some tips for removing excess plugins and scripts:

• First, audit your plugins and scripts: Conduct an audit of your website’s plugins and scripts to identify those that are no longer necessary or are causing performance issues.
• Deactivate and delete unnecessary plugins: Remove any plugins not essential to your website’s functionality. Deactivating and deleting these plugins can improve website speed and reduce the risk of security vulnerabilities.
• Combine and minify scripts: Combining and minifying scripts can reduce the number of HTTP requests and improve website speed. Use WP Minify or Autoptimize to combine and minify your scripts.
• Optimize third-party scripts: If your website uses third-party scripts, such as those for analytics or social media widgets, ensure they are optimized for performance. Remove any unnecessary features and ensure that the scripts are loaded asynchronously to prevent them from slowing down your website.
• Use lazy loading: Lazy loading is a technique that only loads scripts as the user scrolls down the page rather than loading all scripts at once. This can improve website speed and reduce the amount of data that needs to be transferred.
• Minimize the number of external resources: Third-party resources such as fonts, widgets, and ads can slow down a website. It’s important to evaluate the necessity of each resource and remove any that are not essential.

Browser Caching

Browser caching is a process that allows web browsers to store and reuse static files, such as images, CSS stylesheets, and JavaScript files, that are frequently used by a website. When a user visits a website, the browser downloads these files from the server and stores them in its cache. Then, when the user revisits the website or navigates to another page on the same website, the browser can reuse the stored files instead of downloading them again from the server. This can significantly improve website speed and reduce the amount of data that needs to be transferred between the browser and the server.

Browser caching works by using HTTP headers, such as the Cache-Control header and the Expires header, to specify how long the browser should store cached files before requesting them again from the server. These headers can be set by the website’s server or using a content delivery network (CDN). By default, browsers will cache files for a certain period, depending on the file type and the user’s browser settings.

Enabling browser caching can reduce the number of HTTP requests the browser makes, resulting in faster loading times for returning visitors.

Redirects

Redirects are an essential part of any SEO strategy that involves removing or moving pages that impact URL structure. However, too many redirects can add extra time to loading a page, so minimizing and only using them when necessary is essential.

Redirects can impact page speed by adding an extra step to loading a web page. When a user requests a page, the server has to process the request, determine if a redirect is needed, and then issue a new request for the redirected page. This can add time to the page load process, slowing the user experience.

Server Response Time

A slow server response time can significantly impact the website speed, so monitoring server performance and addressing any issues is essential.

Here are a few additional items, in addition to those mentioned above, to help with server response time.

• Optimize database queries: Optimize database queries to reduce the load on the server. This can include indexing tables, removing unnecessary data, and optimizing database queries.
• Minimize HTTP requests: Minimize the number of recommendations to reduce server load and improve website speed. For example, combine and minify CSS and JavaScript files, reduce the number of images and videos, and optimize third-party scripts.
• Optimize server configuration: Optimize your server configuration by setting appropriate values for server parameters, such as memory limits, timeouts, and compression settings.
• Use a fast and lightweight theme: Choose one that does not put too much strain on the server.

How Page Speed Impacts The User Experience

Page speed plays a crucial role in user experience. Here are some reasons why:

• Reduced bounce rate: Slow page speeds can lead to high bounce rates as users tend to abandon websites that take too long to load. A fast-loading website can keep visitors engaged and on the page, leading to a lower bounce rate.
• Improved engagement: Fast page speeds can improve user engagement by enabling users to quickly access the information they seek without waiting for the website to load. This can result in more page views, longer session durations, and increased user satisfaction.
• Increased conversions: Slow page speeds can negatively impact conversion rates, as users may become frustrated and abandon a purchase or sign-up process. On the other hand, a fast-loading website can make it easier for users to complete their desired actions, resulting in increased conversions.
• Better user satisfaction: Users have a better experience on fast-loading websites. When websites load quickly, users are more likely to perceive them as reliable, trustworthy, and professional, leading to a positive impression of the brand and increased user satisfaction.
• Mobile optimization: With the growing number of users accessing websites on mobile devices, fast page speeds have become even more critical. Mobile users tend to have slower internet connections and smaller screens, so a fast-loading website can significantly improve their experience and increase engagement.

In summary, page speed is a critical component of user experience. A fast-loading website can reduce bounce rates, increase engagement and conversions, and improve user satisfaction, making users more likely to return to the website.

How Page Speed Impacts SEO

Page speed is an essential factor for search engine optimization (SEO). Here are some reasons why:

• Improved crawlability: A fast-loading website can improve crawlability, making it easier for search engines to crawl and index its pages. This can result in better visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) and improved rankings.
• Reduced bounce rate: As mentioned earlier, slow-loading websites have higher bounce rates, which can negatively impact SEO. A fast-loading website can reduce the bounce rate, signaling to search engines that the website is relevant and providing value to users.
• Improved user experience: A fast-loading website can improve user experience, leading to longer session durations and increased engagement. This, in turn, can signal to search engines that the website is providing value to users, resulting in improved rankings.
• Mobile optimization: Google’s mobile-first indexing means that page speed is even more critical for mobile users. A fast-loading website can improve the mobile user experience and increase the likelihood of the website being ranked well in mobile search results.
• Algorithm updates: Google’s algorithm updates, such as the Page Experience Update, emphasize user experience and page speed more. Websites prioritizing page speed can improve their chances of ranking well in SERPs.

Conclusion

In summary, page speed is an essential factor for not only SEO but for the user experience of your website.

A fast-loading website can improve crawlability, reduce bounce rates, improve user experience, and increase the likelihood of ranking well in SERPs.