Why Your Website is Slow: A Website Owner's Guide to Better Performance

Your website speed can slow down due to several factors. These include unoptimized images, using an insufficient server, and poor use of caching.

But did you know that a slow website can be a formula for disaster?

In fact, around 47% of website visitors expect a page to load in 2 seconds or less. Even a one-second delay in load times can cause a 7% reduction in conversions. 

In this guide, we will discuss the ‘slow website issues’ in detail and explore solutions to speed up websites and keep the audience’s attention. 

1. Unoptimized Images

Images are an important part of web content. They increase user engagement and help convey information in a visual format. 

Unoptimized images consume excessive bandwidth and increase page load times.

A sluggish website affects user engagement. It leads to higher bounce rates and decreased conversions.

The audience also perceives slow websites as less trustworthy or professional. In the long run, this damages your brand’s reputation and online presence. 

Solution

• Image Compression: Use tools to compress images without losing quality. This reduces their file size, making them quicker to load.
• Correct Image Formats: Choose the right format (e.g., JPEG, PNG, WebP) based on the type of image and desired quality.
• Responsive Images: Use responsive images that adjust in size based on the user’s screen.
• Lazy Loading: Use lazy loading so that images only load when they are about to enter the viewport.

2. Excessive HTTP Requests

Each element of a webpage requires an HTTP request to load.

Too many requests can clog a website's loading process and slow the speed. This becomes especially problematic on pages with many elements.

Excessive HTTP requests result in a decline in user satisfaction. Visitors become frustrated with the wait time and abandon the pages. This leads to higher bounce rates and reduced engagement. 

Solution

• Combine Files: Merge CSS or JavaScript files into single files to reduce the number of requests.
• Use CSS Sprites: Combine the images into one sprite sheet and use CSS to display only the relevant parts. This reduces image requests.
• Cut Down Use of Plugins: Check the necessity of each plugin. Disable the ones you don't need or use.

3. Not Using a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) is a network of servers distributed globally. It offers fast content delivery by hosting copies at locations closer to your users.

This reduces the time it takes for your content to travel between the server and the user's browser. 

Solution

Choose a CDN with a global network of servers. This ensures a nearby server is always available to deliver your content, regardless of the recipient's location.

4. Inadequate Hosting Solutions

Websites with growing traffic often remain on hosting plans that cannot handle the load. This leads to slow response times and frequent downtime. 

Shared hosting is a cost-effective option. But, it can also be problematic as many sites use the same resources. When one site experiences a spike in traffic, it can slow down all others on the same server.

Solution

If your site traffic is increasing, upgrading from shared hosting to dedicated or VPS (Virtual Private Server) hosting may be time.

5. Poor Use of Caching

Inadequate caching means regenerating the same content for every request. Every time a user visits or refreshes the page, the server reloads all elements, including static content like stylesheets, images, and scripts.

Constant reloading increases load times, especially on slow connections.

Solution

Set up your website to tell browsers to keep certain files, like images and CSS files, before checking for updates.

When someone revisits your site, their browser loads these saved files, which speeds up the site and makes it appear more responsive.

6. Inefficient JavaScript

Excessive or poor JavaScript slows down your website. 

This happens because the browser needs to process all the scripts before it can render the full page.

Solution

• Optimize and Minify JavaScript: Remove unused code and compress files. This reduces the size and processing time.
• Change Script Tag: Use async and defer attributes to prevent scripts from blocking page rendering.
• Audit and Refactor: Have a reliable web design agency check and streamline your JavaScript for efficiency.

7. Non-Optimized Web Fonts

Heavy web fonts can delay text rendering and page load times. 

Using varying font styles and weights adds unnecessary bulk to your site.

Solution

Use only the required styles and weights. 

Use a font-display swap in your CSS to ensure text remains visible during font loading. You can also use modern formats like WOFF2 for better compression and faster loading.

8. Excessive Use of Plugins

Overloading your website with too many plugins can slow it down. 

Each plugin can add extra HTTP requests (for scripts and styles), increase the database load, and introduce inefficient code.

Too many plugins can also lead to conflicts between them, further degrading site performance.

Solution

Review the plugins installed on your website. Remove those that are unnecessary or duplicate the functionality of others. 

Ensure essential plugins are well-maintained and updated. You can also replace several plugins with one that combines several functions.

9. Lack of Mobile Optimization

The average website takes around 8.6 seconds to load on mobile devices. This number exceeds the ideal load time for maintaining user engagement and satisfaction.

According to a study by Portent, a load time between 0 and 4 seconds is optimal for conversions. Yet, many websites fall short of this target, particularly on mobile.

Solution

Optimize your website's mobile version by compressing images and implementing adaptive image sizing. Add lazy loading to ensure that the server loads only the necessary resources.

Additionally, use Google's PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s mobile performance. Apply the recommended optimizations to enhance speed and user experience.

Boost Your Website Speed Today

Improving your website's performance is crucial for retaining visitors and increasing conversions. By addressing common issues, you can reduce load times and improve user experience. 

Monitoring and refining these aspects will keep your website fast, efficient, and appealing to your audience.

Need faster website performance? Contact Bliss Drive today for web design and optimization services to boost your site speed and conversions.