You probably count to 10 before losing your cool. But do you want to have to count to 10 before a website page loads? The answer is most probably a resounding no. So, why would you want to subject your online visitors to that experience?
You cannot expect them to be willing to stay on your pages while there is so much content they could be consuming.
Online users want quick access to information. If a page does not load in less than 5 seconds, you can be sure your competitors will get the traffic. The situation is even worse on mobile devices because people use them on the move.
It is important to ensure that your pages are fast loading. That is why you must keep up with testing page speeds.
Our article will explore 5 frustrating reasons why your website speed is slow. If you take care of them, you will be able to increase your website loading speeds and attract more visitors.
1) YOU ARE TREATING YOUR IMAGES LIKE TEXT
When uploading images onto your website, you must optimize them. What this means is, determine that they are not too heavy. Placing images without considering the weight will consume your bandwidth.
With text, you can place as much as you want without impacting too much on the page speed. When choosing images, do the following:-
- Determine what kind of file you will use for the images. The PNG format is very heavy, while JPG is ideal.
- Do not allow the image sizes to exceed 1 MB.
- For heavy files, you have the option of compressing and resizing. There are several tools you can use, such as TinyPNG, which will not distort the image.
2) YOUR WEB HOSTING PROVIDER LIED TO YOU, OR YOU CHOSE THE WRONG ONE
The web host provider will determine many functionalities on your website. Depending on how much bandwidth they can give you, it will impact how you handle the traffic that comes to your website.
Some of the less honest web host providers will lie about their capabilities. You must read customer reviews to know what you will be getting. It helps you sieve out marketing language and get to the real truth. When choosing a web host provider, look out for the following.
- Are they able to provide you with sufficient bandwidth that can handle large traffic?
- What kind of customer service do they offer? You do not want a situation where the website is down, and you cannot reach them. Go for those that offer 24/7 customer service. You should also be able to access them on different platforms. This could include phone, email, chat, or ticketing.
- Does the web host provider have the capacity to scale the more you grow?
- What kind of servers do they have on offer? Consider it an investment to go for a dedicated or private server. You may pay more, but you do not have to compete with other users.
- Free is expensive. It may be a cliché phrase, but it is an absolute truth. Forget about free or low-cost options when looking for a web host provider. Dig a little bit into your pockets. You will get to enjoy the value of every cent you spend.
When looking for a web host provider, determine what your needs are. Be clear about what you will be using your platform for. An e-commerce platform is different from a personal website. The amount of traffic the former handles is very high. You need a web host provider who is reliable and can provide the type of service you need.
3) YOUR SEARCH FOR FUNCTIONALITY WITH PLUGINS AND OTHER EXTENSIONS IS EXCESSIVE
Plugins are fantastic for adding functionality to a website. You have tons of options because developers are always working hard to churn out new ones. However, like any good thing, you should do it in moderation.
Downloading too many plugins eats up storage space. Every time you run an update on the plugin, you add additional elements. Before long, you will slow down your computer. By all means, take advantage of the plugins available.
Look for multiple functionalities with apps, extensions, or plugins. Installing a SOCKS proxy, for example, gives you anonymity and security when online. You can also bypass firewalls and geo-blocking restrictions. From one installation, you get so many uses.
Carefully consider what each plugin will demand from your operating system. You can then ask yourself if you really need to install it. Remove plugins or extensions you no longer use.
4) YOU ARE GETTING TOO CREATIVE WITH ANIMATIONS AND FLASH CONTENT
Animation and Flash content can be useful to make a website more engaging. Audiences are more likely to interact with such pages. You will notice the shift in audience engagement using such web design trends. If you are doing it well, you can get to build traffic to your website.
Rein in your creativity somewhat. Do not go crazy with the amount of content you upload on the website. Flash content and other animations can be very heavy. They will significantly slow down the page loading speed. Not to mention that Flash is not secure and no longer supported by its creators; definitely remove and replace any Flash content currently on your site.
5) FORGET FREE WEB BUILDERS; HIRE WEB DESIGNERS
Using the free web builder resources may seem like a good, money-saving move. Their strong selling point is that you do not need any technical or coding knowledge to build a website. We do not negate this fact 100%. However, there are some things you may do wrong without even being aware of.
The wrong code application and JavaScript installation will slow down your web pages. We would recommend that even if you use web builders, consult professional web designers. You get the best advice from those who have experience in the field.
Final Thoughts
We have looked at 5 frustrating reasons why your website is slow. Some fixes you can implement by yourself. Otherwise, we recommend consulting a professional to look at it. Remember, a good user experience on your website will keep the audience coming back.
