Does your website load slowly? Or, have you run a performance report on your site through Google PageSpeed Insights and received a failing grade? If you have faced either or both of these problems, there are steps you can take.
It’s all about user experience
Website speed is an important component of a successful website. But, as we like to say, “websites are for people,” so it’s important to remember that the goal is to get the best overall user experience — not just get a good score with a ranking tool.
...the goal is to get the best overall user experience — not just get a good score with a ranking tool.
Speed-checking tools (like Google PageSpeed Insights or Pingdom) can vary widely in results, even from day to day. This is because there are so many variables at play when loading a site, like geographic location, server load, and more. These tools are helpful, but the way you and your users experience the site is what’s most important.
When working to get your site to load faster, be sure to check for unintended consequences like broken JavaScripts and FOUC. In some cases, it may not be possible to implement all of the recommended fixes of speed test tools.
Use a caching plugin
For database-driven sites (like WordPress), the easiest way to decrease load times significantly is to use a caching plugin. These let your site load through special, smaller files called static files. For the majority of websites, using a caching plugin is a no-brainer.
Use Autoptimize or a similar tool
Autoptimize is a WordPress plugin that performs a variety of page optimization tasks for you, like combining and minifying scripts. If you have read recommendations from tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, you’ll recognize these kinds of tasks.
If you’re not using WordPress, there are ways you can manually perform these tasks — it just takes a bit more technical knowledge. Let us help!
Ironically... patience is key
There are an endless number of things you can do to help with page speed. Optimization is usually about making a number of small changes, so remember that improvement may be gradual! With some attention to detail, you can make big strides.
And, we’re always happy to help! If you need help implementing any of the ideas above or need to optimize even further, don’t hesitate to reach out.