Site speed and sales: why a slow site costs queries

Imagine you walk into a store and the salesperson ignores you for ten seconds. You'll probably leave. The same thing happens online, except that the visitor doesn't even have to get angry, just close the card. Site speed therefore, it is not a technical detail, but a part of the sale.

Why speed affects work

Visitors depart

People are impatient, especially on the phone. The longer the page loads, the more likely they are to opt out before they see your offer. Every visitor who leaves is a potential inquiry you never received.

You pay for unused visits

If you run paid ads and the site is slow, you pay for the click, and the person leaves before the page opens. The money has been spent and there are no results. That's why speed goes hand in hand with Google and Meta Campaigns.

Google notices this

Speed and user experience are part of what search takes into account. A slow site is harder to work your way up.

What slows down your site most often

1. Big pictures. A few megabytes photo on the homepage is a classic issue. They can be reduced multiple times without noticeable difference.
2. Too many plugins on WordPress. Each plugin is an additional code that loads.
3. Poor hosting. A low-cost server sharing resources with hundreds of sites can be slow at rush hour.
4. Difficult topics. Some ready-made themes contain a lot of features that you will never use.
5. Too many third-party scripts. Thurs, measurements, widgets, advertising pixels.
6. Self-starting video full-size.
7. No caching. The server rebuilds the page every time instead of reusing it.

How to check speed

There are free tools, including Google PageSpeed Insights, that rate the site and list what's slowing it down. Check the mobile version in particular, as it is usually weaker. You should not aim for a perfect grade, but for obvious problems.

A simple test: open the site on your phone over cellular data, not over Wi-Fi. If it bothers you, it also bothers customers.

What you can fix yourself

• Reduce images before uploading and use modern formats.
• Delete add-ins that you don't use.
• Remove unnecessary content Homepages
• Do not put autoplay video to the first page.
• Update regularly system and accessories.

What an expert should do

• Caching and compression settings.
• Select or customize a lighter theme.
• Optimize DataBase
• Switching to better hosting if that's the cause.
• Delayed loading of images and scripts.

Speed is a decision from the start

It is cheapest to make a site fast from day one: light base, optimized images, reasonable number of plugins. Subsequent speeding up of a slow site is possible, but it requires more work. This is one of the reasons why for each new site we are careful about choosing the basis, more about this on the page development of websites Podgorica and Montenegro.

Speed and web shop

With stores, this is even more important. Every second in the purchase process means a greater chance for the user to leave the cart. If you are planning to invest in the modernization of your business and are looking for support through public calls, see the page on EU projects and grants.

Cellular data isn't the same as wifi

When you test the site in the office, on a fast network and a strong computer, everything looks good. The customer, however, often asks for your business on the phone, somewhere with a weak signal. That is why speed is always judged on the weakest scenario and not on the best.

Ask someone from your family or team to open the site on an older phone and let them know how long it takes until the first usable image. Such an informal check often reveals a problem that the tool does not show so clearly.

Speed does not improve once and for all. Any new image, plugin or script can spoil it, so it's a good idea to check it occasionally, especially after major changes to the site or before starting advertising.

Short checklist

• The homepage opens quickly and on your phone.
• Images are reduced.
• No unnecessary extras.
• Hosting is strong enough for visits.
• The system has been updated.

Speed is best checked regularly, not just once. Any new image, plugin, or script can slow the site down, so it's worth opening the site on your phone from time to time and judging how it behaves. If you notice a delay, start with the largest images.

Free analysis

You suspect your site is slow but don't know why? Request free analysis. We look at what's slowing it down and make three priority recommendations, no obligation.

Asenvirocon, Bulevar Mihaila Lalića, Podgorica · info@asenvirocon.me · 067 222 975