Last week, we discussed the importance of website optimization and it’s impact on visitor browsing, conversions, and organic traffic via search engines. Reducing your site’s loading speed is easier than you think and any amount of time that can be cut will benefit your site/sales. Here are some strategies to optimize your website page speed:
Use External Scripts
Whenever possible, place CSS and JavaScript codes into separate files so they only need to be downloaded once as users navigate your site, instead of each page load. For example, include external CSS files in your header like so:
<link rel="StyleSheet" type="text/css" href="stylesheet.css">
It is also a good practice to include JavaScript files in the footer rather than header, so they are the last items downloaded by the browser. Since browser’s load pages from top to bottom, any delays caused by the JavaScript files will have less of an impact.
Compress CSS and JavaScript Files
CSS and JavaScript files can be compressed to reduce white space and duplicate tags. I recommend using a tool like Iceyboard’s CSS Compressor to optimize your CSS files. Be sure to check that your new CSS code maintains the same layout as your unoptimized CSS. You can also optimize your JavaScript coding with Xtreeme’s optimizer or Javascript Compressor.
Use Width and Height Tags for Images
Not including width/height tags will create more overhead for your server. Add height/width tags to your images and you will cut time from your loading speed.
Avoid Nested Tables
Nested tables (tables inside other tables) are slow and inefficient, so whenever possible avoid using them. Avoiding tables altogether is a good choice.
Clean HTML Code
Some HTML editors tend to add extra tags that are really not necessary. You can use a simple HTML optimizer such as this one from Self SEO to clean your code.
Links with Trailing Slashes
Links which do not have trailing slashes, such as “http://www.MarketingWiseGuy.com”, will slow down the process of navigating to that link. Include a trailing slash to reduce the link load time. For example, use “http://www.MarketingWiseGuy.com/” instead.
Optimizing Images
Large images will slow down any site. It is important to choose the right image format and compression settings. Avoid large images!
Choosing a Good Host
A reliable host is one of the most important factors in your site’s page speed. I’ve used many web hosting companies in the past, so sometimes it takes a while to find the right one. I’m very picky when it comes to hosting, and although speed and reliability is a major factor, I also look for great support and competitive pricing. I’ve been with HostGator for about 4 months now, and I have to say the service has truly been 100% satisfactory. If you are looking for a solid hosting company with great support, I definitely recommend HostGator!
Other Tips
Please share your own tips to reducing webpage load speed below. Thanks for reading!
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