Why Website Speed Matters?

What is Website Speed?

Website speed is the time it takes for a page to finish loading when a user visits a website page. This involves the speed at which each element on a web page, such as images, text, videos, and other content, loads. For example, when you click on a website link, a website that loads and presents the page quickly will give you a better user experience. On the contrary, if a website takes a long time to load, it may make the user feel impatient or even choose to leave. Therefore, how to improve website performance is crucial to the user experience and the success of your website.

The Importance of Website Speed

Website speed is crucial and will be illustrated from the following perspectives:

Conversion Rates

Website speed significantly affects conversion rates. Statistics show that a 1-second delay in page load time can potentially lead to a 7% decrease in conversions. For instance, for an online retailer with a daily sales revenue of $50,000, a 1-second delay could potentially result in up to $1 million in lost sales annually. Therefore, whether viewed from the perspective of user experience, SEO, or conversion rates, website speed plays a critical role in the overall performance and profitability of a website.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Website load speed also affects Search Engine Optimization(SEO). Search engines like Google have given preference to website load speed in their algorithm. A slow-loading website might end up lower in the search rankings, potentially leading to fewer page views and thus affecting advertising and sales revenue.

User Experience

Website speed has a significant impact on the user experience. Imagine visiting a website that loads slowly; it's quite likely you will opt to exit and find faster sources of information or services. For instance, a slow-loading e-commerce website could frustrate potential customers, leading to a decrease in conversion rates.

Website Performance Metrics

Many metrics can help determine the performance of a website:

1. Page Load Time: This is the time it takes for a user to click on a web page link until the full page is displayed. It directly affects the user's initial impression and experience.
2. First Painting (FP): This is the point in time when the page starts displaying content.
3. First Content Painting (FCP): This is the point at which the page presents the first DOM content (e.g., text, images, etc.) to the user.
4. First Meaningful Paint (FMP): This is the point at which the main content is rendered to the user, making the page useful.
5. Time to Interact (TTI): This is the point in time when the page is ready for user interaction (e.g. scrolling, button clicking, etc.).

Ways to Improve Website Performance

A performance improvement plan is often needed to enhance website performance. Several accepted methods can increase website speed. Compressing and optimizing images is one, as large, unoptimized images can significantly slow your site. Another technique is to reduce HTTP requests because a substantial portion of a web page's load time is spent downloading different elements of the page, such as images, stylesheets, and scripts. Overloaded elements can negatively impact your site's speed. Lastly, using a Content Delivery Network (CDN) can also improve website speed. A CDN copies your site and stores it in one of its numerous global data centers. When a user visits your site, they download files from the server closest to them, reducing the time it takes for your website to load.

1. Implement Content Distribution Network (CDN): A CDN takes a copy of your site, stores it in various servers located in different geographic locations, and serves your site to your visitors from the closest location. This fastens the serving of your site.
2. Minimize HTTP Requests: By reducing the number of components on a page like images, scripts, or CSS files, you can minimize the amount of HTTP requests to improve the speed of your site.
3. Leverage Browser Caching: Browsers cache a lot of information (like stylesheets, images, JavaScript files, etc.) so the page doesn't need to fully load when a visitor returns. Using methods to leverage browser caches can help improve page load time.
4. Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML: Optimizing your code by removing spaces, commas, unnecessary characters, code comments, etc. can dramatically improve your page load time.
5. Enable Compression: Use software apps such as Gzip for file compression to reduce the size of your CSS, HTML, and JavaScript files which are larger than 150 bytes.
6. Optimize CSS Delivery: CSS holds the style requirements of your page. Therefore, ensuring that your CSS is delivered in the most optimized and effective manner can improve the visibility of your web content while loading.

How Tencent EdgeOne Improve Website Performance?

1. Smart Acceleration: EdgeOne utilizes advanced algorithms and technologies to intelligently select the best data transmission paths and reduce redundant data transfers, thereby increasing website loading speeds.
2. Global Edge Node Deployment: EdgeOne has deployed more than 2,800 edge nodes in more than 70 regions across five continents, ensuring that users around the world can realize nearby access, reduce latency, and improve access speed.
3. Perfect Combination of Security and Acceleration: EdgeOne not only provides efficient data transmission functions, but also protects the security and stability of the enterprise platform through self-developed high-performance load balancers and a series of security technologies and strategies to effectively resist various network attacks.
4. Domain name resolution: EdgeOne provides domain name resolution service to help users quickly resolve the domain name to the correct IP address and improve website access speed.
5. Intelligent Optimization and Detection: By optimizing data transmission paths and reducing redundant data transmission, EdgeOne can dramatically improve users' network access speed and provide a high-quality, highly reliable network experience. Meanwhile, based on syntax analysis and AI intelligent detection engine, EdgeOne can improve detection accuracy, effectively reduce false positives, and further enhance service accuracy and reliability.
6. DDoS/CC/Web/Bot Protection: EdgeOne provides DDoS/CC/Web/Bot protection services to effectively resist various network attacks and ensure the safe and stable operation of websites.
7. Edge Function Computing: EdgeOne provides edge function computing services to help users perform computing tasks on edge nodes, reduce latency and improve website access speed.
8. Content Delivery Network(CDN): EdgeOne provides acceleration and security solutions based on Tencent's edge computing nodes, escorting e-commerce and retail, financial services, content information and gaming, and other industries to improve user experience.