Chapter 1: How to Properly Structure a Small Business Website
Site speed is another factor Google uses to rank a website’s performance and therefore, its position on the search results page. The faster it loads, the better. It should take 2.5 seconds for a page to load on desktop and less than six seconds on mobile. Website owners can maximize their site speed by following these best practices:
Minimize HTTP Requests. Reduce the number of files that need to be downloaded by combining CSS and JavaScript files, using CSS sprites, and minimizing the use of plugins and external scripts.
Optimize images. Compress and resize images to reduce file size without sacrificing quality. Use appropriate file formats like JPEG, PNG, or WebP.
Enable caching. Use browser caching to store static files on the user's device, reducing the need to download them on subsequent visits.
Minify and compress files. Minify and compress CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files to reduce their size and improve load times.
Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN). A CDN stores copies of your site's static files on servers around the world, allowing users to download them from a server closer to their location, reducing latency and improving load times.
Optimize database queries. Optimize database queries and use a caching system to reduce the time it takes to retrieve data from the database.
Choose a fast web host. Choose a reliable and fast web hosting provider that offers optimized server configurations, fast response times, and good support.
By implementing these best practices, a website owner can significantly improve their site speed, providing a better user experience and potentially improving search engine rankings.