metadata-and-why-it's-so-important-for-seo
Mark Loughlin

Mark Loughlin

I help businesses use their website and digital marketing to increase leads, bookings, and sales 🚀

How to Enhance Your Page Speed for Better SEO Performance

Optimising a website is not only about keywords and backlinks. The first principle of search engine optimisation (SEO) is user experience. Regardless of how high you rank due to content, your probable leads will not turn to conversions if they do not have an enjoyable experience on your site.

 
Website Speed and SEO

One of the most significant factors in user experience is page speed. How fast your page loads and downloads content from your website is how users decide whether to stay or click away.

Whether on a mobile device or a computer, Google’s algorithm will analyse the loading speed. Not only will this lower your ranking, but when users get a hold of your website and experience slow speeds, it will turn them away. Here is a free website that allows you to check the speed of your own website to ensure it is up to the standards of your competitors and most importantly, your customers.

 

Tips to Improve Your Page Speed

Now, if you are unsure whether your page is a little slow, put yourself in a user’s shoes. Pretend that you encountered your website for the first time and want to buy something. Does it take more than a few seconds to load when you open your site? Do you have to refresh the website? If yes, these are signs of a slow loading page.

If you want to optimise your site and speed up the loading, we got you covered. Below are a few tips on how to do so.

 

Remove Unnecessary Graphics and Elements

One reason why many websites go for a minimalist look is to lessen the loading time. Too many graphics and elements on a page can take forever to load. Instead, try to keep it minimal and include what is necessary. Users are more likely to appreciate a fast-loading site, even if it looks simple.

 
Utilise Lazy Loading

“Lazy loading” is a technique used when building websites that only loads images when necessary. For example, if you visit a page with multiple photos, they do not load all at once. Instead, they only load the image that the user is viewing/ Once the user scrolls down to see the other pictures, it is only then that the other images will begin to load. This makes it quicker, and if a user does not scroll down, the other images will not even load, saving a lot of time.

 

Keep a Clean Code

In the code of your website, keep it clean. You can do this by erasing empty or unnecessary elements. It is also essential that you erase plugins and scripts that are not useful. Keep the most basic functionality to boost the page speed.

 

Use a Private Server

Even when the website is minimal, and there are not many elements or scripts, it could still take a while to load. This is because of user traffic. If your website is hosted on a server that has a lot of users, your website will take a long time to load for some users in specific areas. By using a private server, you will be limiting the number of users to your target market.

 

Conclusion

SEO is not just about the content. User experience is just as important as ranking on search engines with just keywords. Ensure that your users have an optimal experience by enhancing the page speeds of your website.

For the best website designer in Belfast, PuttySquared is here for you. We offer website design services to help you optimise your pages and bring more attention to your business. Get in touch with us today for your new website.