5 Reasons Your Website Is Slow and How to Fix It

A slow website is more than just a minor inconvenience for users. It can have significant negative impacts on your business. 

Slow load times can lead to higher bounce rates, lower search engine rankings, and lost revenue.

This post will explain the most common causes of slow-loading websites and how to fix them.

But first, let’s take a closer look at why optimizing site speed is so important.

Why Website Speed Matters

Here are the three main reasons you should prioritize your website’s page speed.

Improved User Experience

A fast-loading website provides a seamless and satisfying experience for your visitors. 

In an age where users expect instant access to information, any delay in load times can lead to user frustration and disengagement.

In fact, according to Google, the likelihood of visitors bouncing from your site increases 32% as your page load time goes from one to three seconds.

So, how long should it take for your pages to load?

Google’s latest documentation says pages should load within 2.5 seconds to provide a good user experience. Anything longer than four seconds is considered too slow.

Better Search Engine Rankings

Faster-loading websites have a better chance of ranking prominently in Google’s search results.

Since 2018, Google has officially used page speed as a ranking factor for desktop and mobile searches. Google aims to provide users with the best experience possible, and fast loading times contribute to this goal.

For reference, a Backlinko study found that the first page of Google results has an average load time of 1.65 seconds.

The bottom line? 

The quicker your site loads, the more organic visibility and traffic you’ll likely receive.

Increased Conversion Rates

Better load times can also improve your conversion rates.

Visitors are less likely to become frustrated with the on-page experience and abandon your site.

A 2022 Portent study found that an ecommerce site that loads in one second has a 2.5 times higher conversion rate than a site that takes five seconds to load.

Likewise, a 2017 Akamai study found that a mere 100-millisecond delay in mobile page speed can reduce conversions by 7%. 

5 Causes of Sluggish Websites (And How to Fix Them)

Now, let’s look at the main culprits behind slow-loading websites and what to do about them.

1. Large Image and Media Files

Large media files—like images, videos, and GIFs—can take up a lot of bandwidth and lead to slower page speeds.

This happens when websites use high-resolution images and uncompressed videos that aren’t optimized for the web. 

The file format also plays a part. Using formats that aren’t web-friendly (like TIFF, BMP, or RAW) can significantly increase file sizes and slow down your website’s load times.

The quantity of files also matters. Adding an excessive number of media files to a page can overwhelm the server and browser, leading to longer loading times.

How to fix it

• Compress images: Use tools like TinyPNG, ImageOptim, or online compressors to reduce the file size of your images without sacrificing quality. These tools remove unnecessary data from the image files, making them smaller and quicker to load.
• Use the correct formats: Use modern file formats such as WebP for images and MP4 for videos, which offer better compression and quality. WebP images are typically 30% smaller than their JPEG or PNG counterparts.
• Implement lazy loading: Use lazy loading for images and videos to only load when they come into the user’s viewport (when users scroll down the page). This helps reduce the page’s initial load time by deferring the loading of non-essential images and videos.
• Host videos on third-party platforms: Instead of hosting videos directly on your website, use third-party platforms like YouTube or Vimeo. These platforms can handle the bandwidth load more efficiently and provide optimized streaming for users.

2. Unoptimized Code

Another major cause of slow websites is messy, bloated, or poorly written code.

Excessive use of JavaScript, CSS, and HTML increases the time for a browser to render a page. This happens because each file requires a separate HTTP request, and the more requests a browser has to make, the longer it takes the page to load. 

Also, redundant or unused code makes these files bigger, adding unnecessary load to the server—and client-side rendering process.

How to fix it

• Minify code: Code minification removes unnecessary characters from files, such as spaces, line breaks, and comments. This reduces file size without affecting functionality. Minification tools include UglifyJS for JavaScript, CSSNano for CSS, and HTMLMinifier for HTML.
• Use asynchronous loading: Implement asynchronous loading for JavaScript files to ensure they don’t delay the rendering of the main HTML content.
• Optimize your code: Review your code regularly to remove any redundancies. To improve performance, optimize loops, reduce the number of DOM elements, and avoid inline styles and scripts.

3. Slow Server Response Times

Server response time is how long it takes for a web server to respond to a user’s request to load a web page.

It’s a crucial metric because it sets the stage for how quickly the rest of your website can load.

Slow server response times are typically caused by factors like poor hosting, spikes in website traffic, and lengthy physical distances between the server and users.  

How to fix it

• Upgrade hosting: Opt for a reliable hosting provider with adequate resources to handle your website’s traffic. If you are currently on shared hosting, consider upgrading to a Virtual Private Server (VPS) or a dedicated server.
• Use Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): CDNs distribute your content across multiple servers worldwide, reducing the distance data needs to travel to reach the user.
• Enable caching: Implement server-side caching to store static versions of your site, reducing the load on your server and speeding up response times.

4. Unnecessary Redirects

Unnecessary redirects can significantly slow down a website by causing additional HTTP requests.

Every redirect involves a round trip to the server, increasing latency and potentially confusing users and search engines.

Common causes of unnecessary redirects include HTTP to HTTPS upgrades, outdated links after site restructuring, and incorrectly setting up mobile redirects.

How to fix it

• Consolidate and optimize redirect chains: Multiple redirects from one URL to another (redirect chains) can severely slow down page load times. These often occur when sites undergo multiple migrations or updates over time. Consolidate these redirect chains into a single, direct redirect. This means ensuring old links go directly to their final destination without multiple hops.
• Standardize URL structures: Discrepancies in URL structures can easily lead to unnecessary redirects. Decide on a standardized URL format for your site (e.g., choosing between www or non-www and always using or omitting trailing slashes). And configure your server to automatically handle these preferences globally.
• Implement correct HTTP to HTTPS redirects: Upgrading from HTTP to HTTPS is essential for security but can cause redirect issues if not implemented correctly. Ensure all HTTP pages are redirected to HTTPS using a server-side 301 redirect. This informs search engines that the redirect is permanent, reducing the likelihood of redirect loops and multiple redirect paths.

5. Too Many Plugins and Extensions

The overuse of plugins and extensions is common on sites built with CMS platforms like WordPress.

Each plugin adds overhead to the system, which can increase load times. This is especially true if these plugins are poorly coded or conflict with each other.

How to fix it

• Audit and prune: Regularly review the plugins or extensions you have installed. Remove unnecessary ones or replace multiple plugins with one that consolidates their various functionalities.
• Update and optimize: Ensure all plugins are up to date, as updates often include performance improvements and security enhancements.
• Choose quality plugins: Opt for plugins with good reviews, strong download numbers, and ongoing developer support.

Final Thoughts

Improving page speed is one of the biggest levers you can pull to enhance your site’s user experience. 

In addition to keeping more visitors engaged with your site, it strengthens your ranking potential and helps lift your conversion rates.

However, as we’ve seen, correctly identifying and addressing the causes of slow page loading speeds often requires a degree of technical expertise.
So, if you’re looking for a seasoned team of professionals to help optimize your site speed (and manage other aspects of your SEO program), feel free to reach out to HigherVisibility today.