Why is website speed important?

User Experience Optimization (UXO)
Why did we start to attach so much importance to speed? And who actually decides whether a website is fast enough?

Let's go back to the era before smartphones for a moment. When we didn't have smartphones yet, figuratively speaking, time slowed down. Of course, there were differences between websites, but in general, people were used to things taking time. In the pre-smartphone era, we were more patient; but since the introduction of the smartphone, that has changed. We started watching movies on our smartphones and the coronavirus crisis has accelerated digitization on a global level. We now expect fast connections and are becoming increasingly impatient. We'll discuss what causes that later. First, the benefits of a fast website!

Why you want a fast website

With a fast website, you're better than the competition

People get used to speed easily and expect a seamless online experience. A fast website contributes to a positive user experience and ensures that visitors stay on your website longer. Plus, they'll be more likely to come back. If your website is faster than the competitor's, certain neural pathways in our brain take a shorter route, so it takes less mental energy to reach our goal. This unconsciously gives people the feeling that you are better than your competitors and can lead to greater market share and customer loyalty.

Fast service is associated with reliability

A fast website is often associated with professionalism and reliability. When visitors wait a long time for your website to load, this can lead to frustration and irritation, which in turn has a negative effect on their perception of your brand. Fast websites, on the other hand, feel intuitive and responsive, and can give customers a sense of trust and security. This can result in higher conversion rates and a better reputation in the market.

Fast websites sell more

A fast website is crucial to get the most out of your online presence. Slow websites can lead to a higher bounce rate, which means visitors leave your site quickly without looking any further. This can have a negative impact on your search engine position and ultimately reduce your visibility online. By investing in a fast website, you increase the chances that visitors will stay longer, view more pages and ultimately become customers.

Fast websites contribute to higher conversion rates and more sales. When a website is slow, visitors are easily frustrated and may decide to look elsewhere. This results in lost sales and lower customer satisfaction. Fast websites, on the other hand, increase the chance that visitors will make a purchase, subscribe to a newsletter, or contact us for more information. In addition, fast websites are also more inclusive for users with slower internet connections, such as grandparents, allowing you to reach a larger audience.

Over de auteur
Steven Maas

Steven is eigenaar van Rootsteps, wordt enthousiast van nieuwe technieken, houdt zich bezig met klantcontact, content-creatie, user experience design en Search Engine Marketing.