Faster page load times can significantly improve your SEO, customer satisfaction, and conversion rates
Let’s set the scene: You’re running late for work, but you spy the *insert your favorite national coffee chain* logo off the main road, and decide you have time to swing through the drive-thru for a morning pick-me-up.
The line doesn’t look too long at first, but five minutes later, it becomes apparent that the person in front of you has one of those complicated, miles-long orders that will take a hot minute to fulfill.
On a good day, you might wait in line for a few minutes longer. But more likely, since you’re running low on time, you’ll put your car in reverse, make a safe (but hasty) exit, and speed off toward your destination, now five minutes later and uncaffeinated.
When potential customers visit your e-commerce site for the first time, they’re interested in seeing what you have to offer, but they’re not fully bought in yet. And when faced with slow page load speeds, they’re not likely to stick around, leading to lower conversion rates and lower customer satisfaction.
We want to help you create more pleasant shopping experiences (and ultimately, drive more sales.) Let’s figure out how to fix your page load speeds and build a better user experience.
Why do load speeds matter for e-commerce?
It’s important to have a beautiful site and quality products — but if your customer gets frustrated before they even get to a product landing page, you could lose them for good.
The data speaks for itself. Slow page load speeds can negatively impact your e-commerce business in three big ways:
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- Decreased customer satisfaction — A study by the Aberdeen Group found that 40 percent of shoppers abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load. What’s more, a one-second delay decreases customer satisfaction by 16 percent.
- Increased bounce rates — The longer a page takes to load, the more likely your customer will give up and click off of it. The BBC discovered that for every additional second their pages took to load, they lost 10% of total users. Research shows that when a customer has to wait longer than three seconds for a page to load, the bounce rate could increase from 9 to 38%.
- Poor SEO — Lagging site speed could negatively impact your SEO ranking on Google, which prioritizes sites that load quickly.
How Fast Do People Expect a Website to Load?
In a world where speed can make or break a user’s experience, website loading times are under heavy scrutiny. Today’s users expect swift, seamless access, and their patience for delays is remarkably thin. In fact, 47% expect a site to load in 2 seconds or less, and 40% will leave if it takes over 3 seconds. A 1-second delay can mean 11% fewer views and 7% fewer conversions. For e-commerce brands, this expectation shapes everything—from visitor engagement to conversion rates. Let’s dive into what users anticipate when it comes to speed and the behaviors triggered when those expectations aren’t met.
- Quick Load Times Are Crucial
- Mobile Loading Demands
- Universal Expectations
- High Bounce Rates with Delays
- Impact on E-commerce
Quick Load Times Are Crucial
For many users, speed isn’t just a preference—it’s essential. Almost half of online users expect a page to load in under 2 seconds. This immediate demand for speed has become a core element of online interactions, setting the standard for performance that most websites aim to meet. Site performance is now a primary metric in retaining users from their very first click.
Mobile Loading Demands
On mobile, the need for speed is heightened. Over half of mobile users, approximately 53%, will exit a page that takes more than 3 seconds to load. This urgency underscores the importance of optimizing for mobile, where connectivity can vary, but user expectations remain high. Addressing these mobile demands ensures users stay engaged no matter the device.
Universal Expectations
A surprising 83% of users expect websites to load in 3 seconds or less, reflecting a universal desire for speed and fluidity in browsing. For e-commerce and beyond, meeting this need for speed is about creating trust and satisfaction that encourage users to explore further.
High Bounce Rates with Delays
Page loading time directly impacts bounce rates. Pages that load in 1-2 seconds see a bounce rate of just 9%, but this increases dramatically to 38% when load times reach 5 seconds. Each added second creates another point where visitors might abandon the page, emphasizing the importance of keeping visitors engaged through fast-loading content.
Impact on E-commerce
For online retailers, speed is more than just a user experience metric—it’s a driving factor in sales. About 70% of consumers are more inclined to buy from websites that load quickly, showing how essential speed is for building user confidence and driving purchases. When page speed becomes a competitive advantage, it leads to stronger, more successful interactions with customers.
3 things faster site speed could help you do
Now we understand why bad page load speeds are bad news for your e-commerce business. On the flip side, let’s find out what good site speed could do for your business.
- Improve customer experience — Arguably the most important result of faster load speeds is a better customer experience. Faster load speeds mean more repeat customers coming back time and time again (and 79% of customers are less likely to be repeat customers if they experienced slow page load speeds the first time.)
- Boost SEO — In case you needed a reminder, Google dominates in the world of SEO — it currently owns almost 93% of the world’s market share. Because page load speeds have such a big impact on user experience, Google prioritizes sites with fast load times on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
- Increased conversion rate — With lower bounce rates and stronger SEO, you’re already in a good position to maximize conversions. A recent study by mPulse found pages that loaded in 2.4 seconds had a 1.9% conversion rate, vs. 0.6% at 5.7+ seconds. The percentages are small, but they could immensely impact your e-commerce business’s revenue.
Why PageSpeed Insights Are Essential for E-commerce Success
In the competitive, fast-paced world of e-commerce, every second truly matters. PageSpeed Insights is a powerful tool that helps keep your site performing at its best, ensuring that visitors stay engaged and conversion rates soar. Here’s how PageSpeed Insights can give your business a serious boost by enhancing SEO, conversions, and the overall customer experience.
- Enhanced User Experience
- Better SEO Rankings
- Improved Conversion Rates
- Mobile Optimization
- Core Web Vitals
- Actionable Recommendations
- Competitive Advantage
- Cost Efficiency in Paid Advertising
- Comprehensive Performance Analysis
- Ongoing Optimization
Enhanced User Experience
Fast-loading pages are like a frictionless drive-thru—quick, easy, and satisfying. When your site loads instantly, visitors are more likely to explore, stay longer, and engage, while bounce rates drop. Speed isn’t just a luxury; it’s essential for customer satisfaction and helps bring them back for more, building loyalty and higher retention.
Better SEO Rankings
Page speed does more than make visitors happy; it’s also a powerful factor for SEO. Google ranks faster sites higher, especially for mobile users. By boosting your site’s speed, you’re positioning yourself for success in the crowded realm of organic search, standing out from competitors, and reaching more customers.
Improved Conversion Rates
Every second you shave off load times means more potential sales. Walmart found that reducing load times by just a single second increased conversions by 2%. That’s no small feat! Faster speeds aren’t just a nice feature—they’re a direct route to boosting sales and revenue.
Mobile Optimization
With a huge portion of shoppers now browsing on their phones, mobile performance is non-negotiable. PageSpeed Insights ensures your site is optimized for mobile, so you keep mobile shoppers happy, engaged, and ready to make a purchase.
Core Web Vitals
Google’s Core Web Vitals zero in on page speed, interactivity, and stability—critical factors for a seamless experience. PageSpeed Insights helps measure and optimize these metrics, helping your site rise in search results and offering visitors a smooth, frustration-free experience that keeps them coming back again and again.
Actionable Recommendations
PageSpeed Insights goes beyond measurement; it shows you the “how” behind improvement. From compressing images to fine-tuning scripts, these targeted insights make your optimization journey clear and achievable, turning data into actionable steps.
Competitive Advantage
In a crowded online marketplace, speed is your differentiator. A fast-loading site can help you stand out, drawing in more visitors and boosting conversions. It’s a strategic advantage that sets you apart from the slow-loading competition in the digital world.
Cost Efficiency in Paid Advertising
For brands running paid ads, page speed can make a tangible impact on ad performance by lowering cost per click and increasing quality scores. A speedy site maximizes your ad budget and drives more value from each campaign.
Comprehensive Performance Analysis
PageSpeed Insights provides both lab and field data for a well-rounded view of site performance. This combination helps you understand how your site fares across devices and environments, offering insights for a complete performance perspective.
Ongoing Optimization
Speed optimization isn’t a one-and-done effort. Using PageSpeed Insights regularly allows you to keep refining, tracking progress, and adjusting as your site grows, ensuring a fast and responsive experience for users and the market.
Why Page Size Matters in E-commerce SEO
In e-commerce, page size is a vital element in delivering a fast, seamless experience that keeps visitors exploring. Optimized page size not only quickens load times but also strengthens user engagement and boosts visibility in search results. This section breaks down the core elements of managing page size to maximize performance and satisfaction.
- HTML Page Size
- Overall Page Size
- Google’s Indexing Limit
- Average Page Sizes
- Performance Impact
- Core Web Vitals
HTML Page Size
To keep pages snappy, aim to keep the HTML file size around 100 KB or less. For e-commerce sites that rely on visuals, HTML size may edge up to 150-200 KB to accommodate quality images. However, maintaining compact HTML lets other content load smoothly, creating a fluid experience that keeps visitors engaged
Overall Page Size
While there’s no strict limit, try to keep the entire page under 3 MB. A page of this size generally loads well across various devices and connection speeds, broadening your reach and enhancing accessibility.
Google’s Indexing Limit
When Googlebot scans a page, it generally processes only the first 15 MB of HTML or text-based content. Content beyond this limit might not be indexed, so staying comfortably below this threshold ensures essential content is readily visible in search results,
Average Page Sizes
The typical page weight in 2023 is around 2.3 MB for desktop and roughly 2 MB for mobile. However, lighter pages often yield better performance, with lower bounce rates and faster loading, aligning with WP Rocket’s insights on page size efficiency.
Performance Impact
Larger page sizes can weigh down load speeds, leading to higher bounce rates. Research shows that as load times stretch from 1 to 10 seconds, the likelihood of a mobile user bouncing skyrockets by 123%. Keeping page size lean is critical for delivering a quick, engaging experience.
Core Web Vitals
Page size directly affects Core Web Vitals, crucial for both search optimization and user satisfaction. A smaller page size generally means better scores in interactivity and stability, helping sites meet Google’s standards for a frustration-free experience
3 ways to improve site speed
Are your customers stuck in the metaphorical drive-thru line? Here are a few ways you can improve site speed to maximize conversions.
1. Understand your current site speed and identify bottlenecks
If it’s been a while since you’ve even thought about your site speed, it can be helpful to first take some time to look at your site from a customer’s perspective.
Shopify recommends performing a “site speed audit” where you take a look at your current stats (If you use Shopify for your site, they have a built-in speed report that you can view at the click of a button and compare to other similar businesses).
Here are a few key metrics to keep in mind when auditing your site speed:
| Page Load Time | The time it takes for a webpage to fully load. This includes the time it takes to load all images, scripts, and other elements on the page. |
| Time to First Byte (TTFB) | The time it takes for the browser to receive the first byte of data from the web server. A lower TTFB indicates faster server response times. |
| First Contentful Paint (FCP) | The time it takes for the first piece of content to be rendered on the screen. This metric is important for user perception of site speed. |
| Time to Interactive (TTI) | The time it takes for the webpage to become fully interactive and responsive to user input. This includes the time it takes for JavaScript to load and execute. |
| Total Blocking Time (TBT) | The total amount of time during which the main thread of the browser is blocked and unable to respond to user input. This metric is related to the responsiveness of the webpage. |
| Page Size | The total size of the webpage, including all images, scripts, and other resources. A smaller page size generally leads to faster load times. |
| Number of Server Requests | The total number of requests made to the server to load the webpage. Fewer requests typically result in faster load times. |
2. Optimize images — It’s possible that there are a lot of technical, “under-the-hood” aspects of your site that are impacting load speeds. Or, it could be as simple as optimizing your images. Check out our recent post on Maximizing your Brand’s SEO through Image Optimization.
3. Keep things simple where possible (“wrangle your apps”) — Stacking third-party apps on top of one another on your site can seriously slow down your page load speeds. Consider whether you really need an app, or if building the app’s function (i.e. countdown timers, exit intent pop-ups, etc.) into the backend of your website would give you more control without the weight of an additional app on your page load speeds.
4. Content delivery networks — Nogin uses a CDN (content delivery network) to do what we do. We have data centers as close to our customers as possible (caching content in 320 cities around the world), so our content is closer to end users, reducing latency and improving load time and round-trip time (RTT).
Bring your site up to speed with Nogin
Nogin Edge Delivery™ is here to transform your website into a lightning-fast, seamless experience that captivates your audience from the first click.
Set up a zero-cost, zero-pressure call with one of our Nogin experts today to find out how we can help you elevate your online presence.
FAQ
What should be the page load speed for eCommerce?
For eCommerce sites, the ideal page load speed should be under 2 seconds. Faster load times can significantly enhance user experience and conversion rates.
What is a bad page load speed?
A page load speed above 3 seconds is generally considered bad, as it can lead to higher bounce rates and lower user engagement.
What are ideal page load times?
Ideal page load times are under 2 seconds. Sites loading within this timeframe typically see better user satisfaction and higher conversion rates.
How does page load speed affect customer behavior?
Slow page load speeds can lead to frustration, higher bounce rates, and lower conversion rates. Customers are more likely to abandon a site that takes too long to load.
How fast do people expect a website to load?
People generally expect a website to load in 2 seconds or less. Any longer can lead to a decrease in user satisfaction and engagement.
Does page speed improve SEO?
Yes, page speed is a critical factor for SEO. Faster websites provide better user experiences, which can lead to higher rankings on search engines.
How important is page speed for SEO in 2024?
In 2024, page speed remains a crucial factor for SEO. Search engines prioritize fast-loading sites because they enhance user experience and engagement.
Is page speed a SEO ranking factor?
Yes, page speed is a confirmed SEO ranking factor. Search engines use it to assess the quality and usability of a website.
How to improve website loading speed?
To improve website loading speed, optimize images, leverage browser caching, reduce server response time, minimize CSS and JavaScript, and use a content delivery network (CDN).
How to fix slow website loading?
Fix slow website loading by compressing images, enabling browser caching, optimizing code, using a reliable hosting service, and implementing a CDN to distribute content efficiently.
Are Longer Pages Better for SEO?
Longer pages can offer more content, which may keep users engaged and contribute to SEO. However, for e-commerce, speed is a top priority. While in-depth content can rank well, it’s crucial to balance the benefits of longer content with load speed, especially for visitors who value quick access to product information. Focusing on essentials while keeping load times swift often yields the best results.
Does the Number of Pages Affect SEO?
The number of pages doesn’t directly influence SEO, but a well-organized structure can improve user experience and help search engines understand your site better. A streamlined design with quick-loading pages enhances navigation, helping users find what they’re looking for efficiently. Optimizing both site structure and page performance can indirectly boost your SEO results.
What is a Good Page Conversion Rate?
Conversion rates can vary widely, but for e-commerce, aiming for a range between 2-5% is generally effective. Focusing on page speed and clear design often supports higher conversions, as fast-loading pages encourage visitors to browse and complete actions without delay. Routine testing and tweaks can help keep conversion rates strong.
Do Landing Pages Increase Conversion?
Yes, landing pages can significantly improve conversion rates, particularly when they’re designed with speed and simplicity in mind. A focused layout with minimal distractions often leads users directly toward specific actions, like signing up or purchasing. Keeping these pages fast-loading is crucial, as even small delays may deter visitors from completing their journey.
