The times they are a changing, at least when it comes to the time a person will wait for a web page to load. 10 years ago, 8 seconds was the norm…today, if your site’s visitors are waiting for longer than 3 seconds, they’re looking elsewhere.
Many people don’t believe that a few seconds of additional time waiting for a web page to load can be a deal killer, however, according to a report from Aberdeen Group, “Customers are Won or Lost in One Second,” which means that a one second delay could potentially cost your business a seven percent reduction in sales.
To enhance website performance, there are a few key issues to look for:
- Website complexity
- Regional differences
- Browser incompatibilities
- Third-party content
- Mobile applications
Some of the best practices used to combat these issues include testing your competitors for loading speed, looking at your site from your visitor’s perspective, and recognizing your website’s performance as a business issue. With even Google penalizing sites for slow loading times, it’s a crucial factor for running a successful online business.