5 Reasons Why Website Speed Matters

18 Jun 2022

In this digital age, how long is acceptable to wait for a website to load? According to statistics, most web users don’t even want to wait two seconds for content to show up. This is when website speed really matters and we’ll tell you exactly why. 

Website speed makes a huge difference to user experience, search rankings, and ultimately conversions and sales in the long run. 

A website that can run faster will appear more reliable and professional to a prospective customer, prompting them to explore your brand or business further. On the other hand, a slow website will cause users to bounce immediately to visit other faster websites. 

Here are the top five reasons why website speed really matters for your business.

Makes a good first impression

In the first few seconds, website visitors will make an instant judgement about you and your business. If your website can load quickly, you will have made a strong first impression, which is an instant win when it comes to user experience. 

Speed relates to efficiency as well as trust and confidence, so if your website is fast then the user is more likely to return. However, a slow website might make a user think it is unsafe, not secure, and untrustworthy which will cause a bounce and no return.

Unfortunately, you don’t get a second chance when it comes to user experience, so it’s best to get it right the first time!

Speed is an expectation

Nowadays, the internet sets a high bar when it comes to website speed and we simply expect and demand fast loading times. After all, we use the internet to look for quick answers and immediate results.

40% of users will abandon a website entirely if it takes longer than three seconds to load. There is a little bit more leniency when it comes to mobile users but 85% of internet users still expect a mobile website to load faster than on a desktop. 

If you have an established or well-known website, such as Google or Facebook, users are willing to put up with a small delay but small businesses and websites don’t always have that luxury. Therefore, it is important to be as quick as possible from the beginning.

Improves user experience

User experience is all about providing the user with what they are looking for and making sure they have it quickly. 

The moment your visitors start getting confused or frustrated, you’ve done something wrong.

Slow websites kill conversions

Think about it, if your website speed is driving people away, then it’s going to drive sales away too. 

One of the biggest companies in the world, Amazon, carried out a test which showed that they would lose $1.6 billion every year if they slowed down their website by just one second.

So, if Amazon’s customers don’t even want to wait for another second, the rest of us really need to step up to the mark.

Speed affects search engine rankings

Google loves a speedy website and they do take into account website load speed when ranking websites. However, compared to relevance and authority, it is only small on their priority list but if your website is extremely slow it will suffer.

Apparently, Google reduces the number of crawlers it sends to your website if your server is slower than two seconds. Therefore, this may mean that Google is less likely to pick up that new blog post you’ve written or spot any recent updates.

When it comes to hosting a good website, speed definitely matters. If you’re looking for a fabulous new, speedy website, get in touch with the HushBots. We create beautiful, fast and functional websites that entice visitors and keep them coming back.