Websites that load slowly lead to a $2.6 billion loss in revenue every year. Meanwhile, consumers only take 15 seconds before deciding about a purchase. Every second counts!
Completing a website speed test can help you make informed improvements to your website. You can improve the user experience, encouraging people to explore your content. If your site is slow, however, people could leave.
You’ll miss a chance to generate leads and conversions as a result.
In fact, 88% of online consumers won’t return to a website after a bad experience. Completing a website performance test can help you create a better experience.
On the fence about conducting a website speed test? Keep reading to discover how it could impact your company’s future!
1. Speed Impacts SEO
Search engine optimization (SEO) can impact where your website appears on Google search engine result pages (SERPs). Consumers can search for your product or service, then find your website online. Improving your SERP rankings can help:
- Generate brand awareness and recognition
- Generate more traffic to your website
- Position your business ahead of the competition
- Boost brand trust and loyalty
- Establish your credibility as an industry thought leader
- Generate leads, conversions, and sales on your website
- Improve your ROI
Without a strong search engine ranking, however, consumers might never find your business online. Your competitors will appear at the top of a search instead. You could miss a chance to grow your business as a result.
When building your SEO marketing strategy, it’s important to consider your website. In fact, improving page load times is a part of your on-page SEO strategy. Google will look at your website when determining your ranking.
Run your website through a website speed test. If your website is slow, Google won’t boost your ranking. Instead, Google prioritizes websites that offer consumers a fast, easy online experience.
Conducting a website performance test will help you determine how to improve your site. Speeding up your load times can boost your ranking. Then, you can reach more customers.
2. Slow Speeds Increase PPC CPC
Are you using pay-per-click (PPC) advertising as part of your digital marketing strategy? If you are, you might want to run a website performance test. Otherwise, slow page load times could impact your PPC strategy.
Google Ads looks at your quality score (QS) to determine where digital ads rank on SERPs. Part of your QS is landing page experience. If your pages load slowly, your quality score will drop.
A low quality score can impact your cost-per-click (CPC).
With PPC, you pay each time someone clicks on one of your ads. If your CPC increases, your campaigns could become more expensive. You might blow through your advertising budget sooner than anticipated.
Instead, conduct a website speed test. Then, improve your website development to speed up your load times. You can reduce your CPC and improve your ROI.
3. It Impacts the User Experience
Remember, Google wants to provide its users with the best possible user experience (UX). If your pages load slowly, it can hurt the user experience. People will leave without exploring your content.
If people leave without clicking throughout your site, your clickthrough rate will drop. If they leave quickly, your dwell times will drop, too. As these metrics drop, your bounce rate will rise.
A high bounce rate tells Google you’re creating a negative UX. It could drop your SEO rankings as a result.
Instead, you can boost page speeds to improve the UX. People will stay and explore, improving your load times.
4. Make a Positive First Impression
Sometimes, your website is the first chance people have to interact with your brand. If people notice your pages load slowly, it could impact the impression you make. Usually, you only have one chance to make a positive first impression.
A slow website could scare customers away from your business for good. Remember, 88% of people won’t return to a website after a bad experience.
They might even tell other people about their negative experience, impacting your brand’s reputation.
Instead, use a website speed test to determine where to make website development improvements.
5. Customers Expect Faster Speeds
Consumers expect web pages to load quickly. If you fail to meet their expectations, they might take their business elsewhere.
In fact, load times can hurt your customer service, too. Consumers will struggle to get the answers and help they need.
They’ll turn away, impacting your brand’s reputation further.
6. Slow Pages Impede Conversions
Conversions drop up to 20% per additional second of site load times.
If your pages load slowly, you could miss a chance to generate conversions and sales. Your ROI will drop, impacting your company’s future.
Make sure to complete a website speed test for the desktop and mobile versions of your website. Mobile conversion rates are 64% higher than desktop. In fact, consumers interact with brands twice as often on mobile devices.
If the mobile version of your website is slow, you could miss a chance to generate conversions, leads, and sales. Your ROI will drop as a result.
Instead, you can use a website performance test to study both versions of your website. Then, you can make changes to improve the user experience.
A better user experience can direct more people to convert on your site. Then, you can boost your ROI and set your business up for success.
7. Competitors Will Take the Lead
If your website loads slowly, your search engine ranking will drop. Your competitors will take the lead instead. They’ll have an easier time reaching customers online.
They’ll start converting visitors into leads and customers before you get the chance.
Instead, complete a website performance test and start taking the lead. You can click here to get started.
8. Speed Has a Long-Term Impact
Remember, people might not return to your website after a single negative experience. They’ll remember that experience, which could have a lasting impact.
Instead, conduct a website performance test and start improving your website development. Improving your website now can set you up for years of success.
Hurry Up: 8 Reasons to Conduct a Website Speed Test ASAP
Don’t let a slow website hurt your business. Instead, keep these top reasons to conduct a website speed test in mind. You can speed up load times, boost your SEO rankings, and start reaching more customers.
Faster speeds could set your business up for lasting success.
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