Ecommerce web development services: How to Optimize Page Speed 

Company offers a product or service, and customers buy it. Seems to be simple, right? A preliminary purchase decision when customers evaluate the product/service takes within 90 seconds.  But this quick journey is actually longer-lasting and more complex than that. From gaining awareness of a brand via social media to receiving an email after a successful transaction, there are usually many and varied steps in between.  However, statistics reveal that a significant 40% of customers are likely to abandon an e-commerce store if it takes more than three seconds to load. This highlights the crucial importance of prioritizing page speed scores and creating a user-friendly experience during website development. 

You need to spend quality time and resources to understand the minds of potential customers, their needs and concerns which directly motivate or inhibit their actions.

There numerous drawbacks of slow eCommerce page speed are:

–       Higher bounce rates: Customers may leave a website before it fully loads due to impatience caused by slow ecommerce page loading speed, resulting in a higher bounce rate.

–       Reduced conversion rates: Due to frustration caused by slow page speed, customers may abandon their shopping carts or leave the website entirely, which can negatively impact conversion rates.

–       Negative impact on SEO: Page speed is a critical factor in search engine rankings, and slow page speed can negatively affect a website’s SEO performance.

–       Poor user experience: Slow page speed can result in a poor user experience, leading to customer dissatisfaction and a negative impact on brand reputation.

–       Reduced revenue: Ultimately, slow page speed can cause eCommerce businesses to experience reduced revenue, as customers may be discouraged from making purchases or returning to the site in the future.

Ecommerce website development: methods to boost your online store’s page speed

If your website is loading slow, here are some definitive methods for your ecommerce speed optimization:

Optimize images. When image files are large, they can negatively impact page loading times, resulting in a suboptimal user experience. However, images can be optimized by compressing them, which reduces their size without compromising their quality.

Use a content delivery network (CDN). Using a CDN can help distribute your website’s files across various servers, reducing the physical distance between the server and the user. This can result in quicker page loading times and a more favorable user experience. Several CDN services are available, including Cloudflare and Amazon CloudFront.

Minimize HTTP requests. Every element on a webpage requires an HTTP request, which can slow down page loading times. To reduce the number of requests, you can minimize the use of scripts, stylesheets, and other page elements. Combine files and eliminate unnecessary elements to reduce the number of HTTP requests.

Enable caching. Caching can help accelerate your website’s performance by storing frequently accessed data on the user’s device. This allows users to avoid downloading the same data repeatedly when revisiting your site, leading to reduced load times. For WordPress sites, plugins such as WP Super Cache and W3 Total Cache can be utilized to enable caching.

Use a fast web hosting provider. To enhance the user experience, opt for a hosting provider that gives fast server speeds and minimal latency. Good web hosting should include:

–       High-end cloud infrastructure

–       24/7 technical support to resolve issues

–       High Uptime rate

–       Provide server geographically located to the targeted audience

–       Provide SSD-based solution

Reduce page size. Streamlining your website’s design by eliminating unnecessary elements can result in a reduced page size, which in turn can enhance loading times. Additionally, compressing code and optimizing files can further reduce the page size, resulting in faster loading times.

Eliminate render-blocking JavaScript and CSS. JavaScript and CSS that block the browser from rendering the page, also known as render-blocking resources, can prolong page loading times. Removing any unnecessary JavaScript and CSS that impedes rendering can speed up the page loading process.

How to choose an Ecommerce development company to test your page speed?

When it comes to testing your ecommerce website’s page speed, choosing the right algorithm can make all the difference. 

Choose an online tool to test page speed, such as Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, Pingdom, or WebPageTest. 

Choose a tool that you are comfortable with and provides the necessary information to optimize your website’s page speed. Some tools may require you to create an account or provide personal information, so keep that in mind when choosing a tool.

Enter your eCommerce store’s URL into the tool’s search bar. 

Enter your eCommerce store’s URL into the search bar provided by the tool. Make sure you enter the correct URL and choose the correct version (http or https).

Wait for the tool to analyze your website’s page speed performance.

After entering your website’s URL, the tool will start analyzing your website’s performance. This may take a few seconds or minutes, depending on the size of your website and the tool you are using.

Review the tool’s results and recommendations for improving page speed.

Once the tool has finished analyzing your website’s page speed, it will display a report showing your website’s performance scores, loading times, and other metrics. The tool may also provide recommendations for optimizing your website’s performance based on the issues identified.

Take note of any issues or areas for improvement, such as large image files or render-blocking resources. Review the report carefully and take note of any issues or areas for improvement identified by the tool. Common issues include large image files, render-blocking resources, and slow server response times.

Implement the recommended changes to optimize your website’s page speed.

Based on the issues identified, make the necessary changes to optimize your website’s page speed. This may include compressing image files, minifying code, or optimizing server settings.

Re-test your website’s page speed using the same tool to measure the impact of the changes.

After implementing the recommended changes, re-test your website’s page speed using the same tool to see the impact of the changes. If the changes have been successful, you should see an improvement in your website’s page speed and performance scores.

Repeat the process regularly to maintain optimal website performance and identify any new issues.

Regularly testing your eCommerce store’s page speed can help you maintain optimal website performance, enhance the user experience, and drive more sales. Therefore, it is recommended to repeat this process regularly to identify any new issues and optimize your website’s page speed continually.