All website owners have the same purpose in mind. It doesn’t matter if you use your website to promote your business or to sell your product. All owners want to attract as many visitors as possible and give them the best possible experience. If you manage this, you can consider your website a success.
Most try to do this by focusing on content. This is indubitably the right approach; quality content is the most important part of a website.
We do not want to dispute this. Instead, we want to show how website speed complements content. If a website with good content is fast, it can achieve tremendous results. If a website is slow, however, no amount of quality content will save it.
Let's first consider some statistics on how speed affects websites regardless of content.
First, we can mention the way speed affects search rankings. Most owners have search engines in mind when creating the content for their websites. Some even invest resources in search engine optimization. Still, long load times can undo all your efforts here.
It has been 8 years since Google announced speed would be a ranking factor for desktop searches. And this year they have expanded that practice to mobile websites. Moz.com tested and confirmed this. Faster websites get the edge in searches.
Not only that, but long load times cause many visitors to abandon a page after opening it from search results. This shows Google that a page has no value relevant to the search. You can imagine that page will score lower on subsequent searches for the same term.
We can also mention that Google’s crawlers spend a limited amount of time on each website. If the pages take too long to load, crawlers might not even index some of them. To put it in plain English: if your website is too slow, some pages won’t even show up in searches.
And that’s just speed’s influence on SEO. You also need to consider how it affects the actual visitors.
We have already mentioned visitors give up on slow pages. The stats by the Hosting Tribunal show that if load time goes from 1 to 5 seconds, about 90% of users are likely to navigate away rather quickly. Increase this time to 10 seconds and 123% more visitors will bounce. And visitors who don’t bounce away will visit fewer total pages and are more likely to avoid your website in the future.
Each second of delay will cost you 11% of page views.
Ditching the SEO Obsession
With all that said... Let's be real. You are absolutely tired of hearing about SEO all the time, right? It's like everywhere you turn, there's another article yelling about keywords and Google rankings. But here's a wild idea: forget about SEO for a minute. Imagine just writing what you want, how you want. Sounds liberating, doesn't it? Here’s the scoop:
- Speak Your Mind: Throw out the SEO rulebook. Write with your style, your humor, your quirks. Let your personality blast through every paragraph.
- Ride the Freedom Train: Feel the thrill of not caring if Google approves. Your site, your rules. If you want to write a 2,000-word ode to your pet turtle, do it!
- Unexpected Results: You might just find that by not trying so hard to please algorithms, you end up with content that's a breath of fresh air – something that actually gets noticed.
SEO? More Like S-E-No Thanks
It's time to rethink the whole SEO game. Sure, it's got its perks, but it's not the boss of you. Let's break it down:
- Know Just Enough: It’s like knowing how to make a decent sandwich but not trying to be a gourmet chef. Get the basics down, then forget about it.
- Quality Over Everything: Write stuff that you'd want to read. If it's good, people will find it. And if they don't? Their loss, right?
- Update When You Feel Like It: Post when you have something cool to say, not because you think you have to. Less pressure, more pleasure.
Your Site, Your Stage
Think of your website as your personal stage. You're the star, the director, and the scriptwriter. Own it. Here's how:
- Satisfaction Guaranteed: You'll feel a whole lot better writing about stuff you're into. Who cares if it's not 'trendy' or 'SEO-friendly'? It's yours.
- Hook 'Em with Honesty: People are drawn to real talk. Be bold, be candid, and watch them come back for more.
- Build a Legacy, Not Just a Site: Websites with a strong, personal voice stand the test of time. They're like that one cool shop in town everyone talks about.
In the end, let's just say this: SEO has its place, but it shouldn't be the end-all of your online existence. Go wild, get creative, and let your site be an unapologetic reflection of you. After all, in a sea of SEO-obsessed content, being your outrageous self is what will truly set you apart. Isn't that what we're all after?
If you run your business online, you will suffer even more drawbacks. Longer loading means reduced customer loyalty and fewer conversions. Many customers abandon their shopping carts mid-transaction due to slowness. And if you think this doesn’t happen often, we can tell you that the combined value of abandoned shopping carts worldwide is $18 billion each year.
What does this mean for your store? Well, let’s say your store makes $100,000 a day. A second of delay would cost you $2.5 million each year. That’s almost a 7% reduction in profits.
And if you think your website is safe, testing shows that long load times affect even the most popular websites. Google projected that a 0.5-second increase in load time would reduce their traffic by 25%. Amazon estimated an added second of load time would cost them $1.6 billion each year.
Speed Isn't Everything
The common belief that a website must load faster than a sprinter is losing its ground. Sure, speed is nice, but it's not the only thing that matters for your website's success. Let's break it down:
- User Experience Still Rocks: A website that's a tad slower but offers awesome content is like a cozy café where people linger over a good cup of coffee. They'll stay if they like the vibe.
- Content is King: As long as your site doesn’t take ages to load, people will stick around for great content. Quality matters more than a few extra seconds of waiting, right?
Sharing is Caring for Your Website
Now, about getting your website out there – sharing is your best friend. It's like telling everyone at a party about your cool new project. Here's why sharing everywhere matters:
- Visibility Boost: The more places your content pops up, the more people are likely to stumble upon it. It's a numbers game, you know?
- Diverse Platforms, Diverse Visitors: Different platforms have different crowds. Share everywhere, and you're hitting all the bases.
- Feedback Galore: More shares mean more comments and interactions. This feedback can be gold for improving your site.
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Social Media: Your Website's Megaphone
Think of social media as a megaphone for your website. It's loud, it's everywhere, and it can get your message across the globe in seconds. Here's how to make the most of it:
- Consistent Sharing: Regularly post about your website on social media. It keeps your site in people's minds.
- Engage with Your Followers: Don’t just post and ghost. Respond to comments, answer questions, be a part of the conversation. People appreciate a real human connection.
- Use Eye-Catching Content: Videos, images, catchy headlines – these are the hooks that grab attention on social media platforms.
Email Newsletters: Old School but Cool
Email newsletters might sound a bit old school, but they're like the cool retro vinyl of the digital world. They have a charm that keeps them relevant. Here's why:
- Direct Line to Interested Folks: People who sign up for your newsletter actually want to hear from you. It's your direct line to an interested crowd.
- Personalized Touch: Newsletters can be more personal. Share stories, insights, and news that make your subscribers feel like part of an exclusive club.
- Control Over Your Content: Unlike social media algorithms, your newsletter reaches everyone who signed up. No middleman, no filters.
Forums and Communities: The Underrated Gems
Ever thought about sharing your content in online forums and communities? These places are like hidden gems for exposure. Here’s why they rock:
- Niche Audiences: Forums often have people passionate about specific topics. Find the right community, and you’ve got an audience that’s genuinely interested in what you have to say.
- Establishing Authority: Regularly contributing valuable content to these communities can make you a go-to person in your field.
- Longer Shelf Life: Forum posts and community discussions don’t disappear into the void as quickly as social media posts. They stick around, getting views over time.
Wrapping It Up
In summary, while a fast website is nice, it's not the end of the world if yours takes a bit longer to load. The real deal is in sharing your content far and wide. Use social media, newsletters, and online communities to spread the word. Remember, it’s all about getting your site out there in front of as many eyes as possible. The more you share, the more you’re seen, right?
Author Bio: Zooper
As a magician and mindreader, I have dedicated my life to spreading positivity to the world. Reality may be an illusion, but that doesn't mean happiness is. Open yourself to the extraordinary hidden within it, and watch your joy take flight. This is the truth I'm on a mission to share.
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