The Compete Guide – Page Speed Optimisation and SEO

Worried that slow loading times are driving potential clients away from your website? You have every reason to be concerned, and this quick read will explain why.

Google statistics reveal that users expect pages to load within three seconds. Any longer than seven seconds, and visitors are likely to abandon your site.

This not only leads to lost sales opportunities but also negatively impacts your future conversion rates. High bounce rates, caused by users leaving after zero-second sessions, will lower your site’s ranking.

Bounce rates are calculated by dividing total page sessions by the number of single-page sessions that last zero seconds. High zero-second page hits suggest that users are impatient. Therefore, optimising page speed is essential.

There are several methods to evaluate page speed, and Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool considers the following key metrics:

• Time To First Byte (TTFB):
  Measures the server response time. It’s the duration from when a user initiates an HTTP request to when the browser receives the first byte of the requested page.

• First Contentful Paint (FCP):
  Indicates how long it takes for the initial pieces of content to render on the screen. This content is crucial as it provides immediate visual feedback, reducing bounce rates.

• Fully Loaded Page:
  Represents the time required for the entire web page to render, including all content. It’s a primary metric for assessing overall page load speed.

• Fact to Consider:
  According to Google, websites that load within five seconds see 70% longer average sessions and 35% lower bounce rates.

WHY DOES PAGE SPEED MATTER FOR SEO?

Page and site speed are critical for SEO, as they significantly impact search engine rankings. Besides having excellent content that meets search queries, Google’s algorithm now prioritises user experience, which includes fast and responsive sites.

A website that takes more than a few seconds to load can lead to increased bounce rates. When Google detects high bounce rates, it may infer that users didn\’t find the content they needed, negatively affecting your rankings.

Case Study Highlight:
Amazon found that every 100ms of latency cost them 1% in sales. Source

THE BEST TECHNIQUES FOR INCREASING WEBSITE PAGE SPEED

• Use Content Distribution Networks (CDNs):
  CDNs effectively distribute your website’s content across multiple servers worldwide, enabling faster access from a server closer to the user. This significantly boosts website speed and SEO.

• Enhance and Minify the Code:
  Use Gzip for compressing CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files, reducing their size significantly. For images, utilise graphic programs like Photoshop to maintain quality while compressing files. Correct file compression can increase page performance by up to 90%.

• By Optimising Media Files:
  Large media files slow down page loading times. Use PNG for graphics, JPEG for photos, and CSS sprites to create image templates for faster loading. This optimization reduces the need for extra HTTP request time.

• Activate Browser Caching:
  Enable browser caching to save static files locally after the first visit, improving subsequent load times. While it doesn’t affect the first visit, it significantly speeds up repeat visits.

• Verify Your Web Hosting:
  Choosing the right hosting package is crucial. While cheap hosting may suffice initially, increased traffic demands a more robust plan to maintain speed. Research thoroughly to select the best hosting option.

CONCLUSION

Google’s page speed ranking factors are more crucial than ever for your website’s search result positioning. Implementing these SEO and Google Page Speed Optimisation tips will enhance your site’s speed and ranking.

Additionally, it’s vital to stay updated with current SEO techniques, as Google regularly updates its ranking factors. Keeping up with these changes secures your website\’s success.