I don't invest a lot of money in hardware. My desktop computer is one that I bought used from ReNewed Computers in downtown Owen Sound. When I travel I carry a netbook that probably has less computing power than an iPhone (it probably cost less too). Even though I don't spend a lot on hardware, I still expect everything on my computer to happen at a laser-fast speed. I get impatient when things don't happen instantly. This applies to the Web as well. Over an over again the experts have told us: Users care how fast your Web pages load. Amazon reports that they make fewer sales when pages take longer to load; and Google reports that fewer searches are made when there are more search results per page.
Fortunately almost all of the user response time happens on the parts of your Web site visitors can see. In other words: you can make your Web site a lot faster by making some very simple changes. Here are five tips you can implement today to make your Web site faster for your visitors.
1. Send less data. How many stories do you have on the home page of your Web site? Can you reduce this number by half? A lot blogs put a ridiculous number of posts on the front page. One month's worth of news, or up to 5 stories, is enough for most small business Web sites. Of course if you're running a news site, like the CBC or Globe and Mail, this tip may not apply to you. And if you've ever tried visiting the front page of the G&M site from a dial-up Internet connection you've probably found a different source for news.
2. Choose your images carefully. Calculate the size difference between one large banner image and several smaller images. Where it makes sense, combine images into a single collage.
3. Compress your content. Instead of uploading huge images; make sure you resize them to something that is more appropriate. Most graphics programs will also allow you to adjust the "compression" of the image so that it takes up less space. For JPGs set the quality to 70% instead of 100%. For single-colour logos and other line drawings, use a GIF instead of a JPG.
4. Reduce widget and overall template weight. Do you really need all that stuff in the side bar of every single page on your Web site? If you use a content management system, such as WordPress or Drupal, examine the goal of each of type of Web page. Find places to simply your template design and help visitors focus on taking the Most Wanted Response for each page of your site.
5. Test your page speed and look for more ways to improve. I've been using a fantastic analysis site for years. You simply plug in the URL of your Web site and it will give you a full report explaining how long it takes to download each element that makes up each page. This free tool is available at http://www.websiteoptimization.com/services/analyze/. My Web site is 80% faster than the CBC home page. How does your site compare?
Studies have shown that faster sites sell more products. Now is the time to cut down on page load times as holiday shoppers gear up for the buying season. With these five simple tips you will be able to improve your speed and sales too!
