Online Store Speed Optimization

Speed is one of the fundamental aspects of the customer experience that can significantly impact the conversion rate of an online store. In recent years, due to investments from providers in this field, user expectations have also changed significantly. Measurements show that 47% of consumers expect a page to load in less than two seconds, and 40% of visitors will leave a website if the loading takes more than three seconds. It is anticipated that visitor expectations are even higher, regardless of conducted surveys.

Do you know how fast your online store is?

If you need more ideas for optimizing your website's performance, we recommend using Pagespeed Insights, an excellent free resource for performance or website speed-related queries. Check: https://pagespeed.web.dev/

By now, you probably realize that the faster your store appears to a visitor, the greater the likelihood that the visitor will become your customer. Once a functional online store is established, there are several ways to improve its speed, and some of them will be presented in more detail.

Some key basics for improving the speed of an online store:

• Enable full-page caching (FPC) or website content caching, which will allow users to load or access your page faster on their next visit. FPC significantly speeds up page loading time, influences sales conversion, and contributes to successful revenue generation.
• Optimize front-end elements. Ensure that images, fonts, JavaScript, or CSS files are optimized for speed. Reduce HTTP and image requests, organize CSS, and optimize JavaScript.
• Compress your images. Large images contribute to longer website loading times, so optimize image file sizes using tools like TinyPNG or TinyJPEG without compromising their quality.
• Remove unnecessary elements and extensions. Go through all extensions on your website and remove unused ones.
• Optimize server settings or hosting to achieve the most optimal speed. For example, consider various versions of PHP, which can improve store speed by 30% when upgrading from version 5.6 to 7.
• Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN), a service for faster page display to users from different parts of the world. With CDN, there is a network of servers in numerous data centers worldwide, with the primary purpose of displaying the website's content to an individual from the nearest server. This makes the website appear faster to the visitor as the server delivering the content responds more quickly.

Many websites have succeeded in improving their performance or speed by 50%, significantly enhancing the store's conversion rate. Why not consider implementing this and other advice to improve your online store and its business?