In the modern digital world, the speed of an e-shop is one of the most decisive factors for its success. The loading speed of a web page directly affects the user experience, position in search results and ultimately sales. A slow online store can discourage visitors, driving them to competing pages and reducing your revenue. However, there are simple ways to improve your speed and ensure you’re giving users the best possible experience. In this article, we will break down the most effective strategies and tools you can use to achieve this goal. Whether you own a small online store or manage a large e-commerce platform, the following tips will help you boost its speed and performance.
How do we measure the speed of our online store?
To measure the speed of your e-shop, you can use various tools and techniques. Here is a list of tools:
Tools for Measuring Speed e-Shop
- Google PageSpeed Insights:
- Analyzes your page speed for both mobile and desktop.
- Offers specific suggestions for improvement.
- GTmetrix:
- It provides a detailed report on the performance of your page.
- Offers suggestions for optimization.
- Pingdom:
- It examines page load speed from various locations worldwide.
- Provides detailed information about page performance.
- WebPageTest:
- It allows running speed tests from different geographical locations and browsers.
- It offers detailed reports and suggestions for improvement.
- Lighthouse (Chrome DevTools):
- Built-in Google Chrome tool for analyzing page performance.
- It offers detailed reports and suggestions for improvement.
Plugins and database
“Cleaning up” your online store is essential for fast operation. By removing unnecessary plugins, the load is reduced and efficiency is increased. In addition, by cleaning the database of unnecessary records, a faster response is ensured. These simple actions can make a big difference in user experience and generate new customers.
Remove unnecessary plugins
Installing many plugins can slow down the performance of an eshop. It is important to keep only those that offer real value. By removing the unnecessary, the load on the page is reduced and the customer experience is improved. Regular checking and cleaning is needed to keep the website light and fast. If you can do something without a plugin then do it without it.
Clearing the database
Cleaning the database significantly contributes to the fast operation of an online store. By deleting unnecessary data, such as old posts, spam comments and temporary items, the amount of information is reduced. Thus, access to the necessary information becomes more immediate. This process is often overlooked, but is essential for smooth operation and optimized speed. There are plugins and scripts that can automate this process, e.g. every week.
Server improvement
This includes switching to faster hosting. A powerful server improves page loading. Also, implementing a content distribution network (CDN) reduces the load. Thus, visitors enjoy a more pleasant experience. Finally, the selection of appropriate settings in them contributes significantly to the performance of the online store.
Choice of fast server hosting
For a fast e-shop, choosing a faster hosting server is crucial. A powerful server makes pages load faster. So your visitors don’t wait and feel more satisfied. Upgrading to premium hosting services seems like an investment, but the benefits are immediately apparent. The goal is speed and stability. At Webmate we recommend Litespeed Servers and certainly if we are talking about an eshop with many visitors the existence of an object cache. Don’t forget to have a server that takes daily automatic backups but also to have the appropriate support.
CDN application to reduce load
A CDN (Content Delivery Network) can significantly speed up the performance of your eshop. It places the files on multiple servers around the world. So data reaches users faster. In addition, it reduces the load on the central server and blocks malicious bots. Hence, it provides a better experience to the visitors and keeps them happy.
Minimize images and files
Images and files often burden page loading. Compressing images reduces their size without sacrificing quality. A caching plugin can improve the performance of CSS and JavaScript files.
Compress images to reduce size
Compressing images can do wonders for webpage loading speed. By reducing the size while maintaining the quality, it helps users navigate faster. There are many tools like TinyPNG and JPEGmini or our favorite Shortpixel that make the process easier. By adopting this practice your site will appear faster to your visitors. As an additional solution for images, we recommend using lazy loading so that images are “loaded” only when they appear on the user’s screen.
Use caching plugin for CSS and JavaScript files
Caching plugins help to reduce the loading time of the online store. They temporarily cache CSS and JavaScript files, thus avoiding repeated loading from the server.
Code improvement
An important step for the better functioning of your eshop is to simplify the code. Developers should avoid “heavy” code, which can slow down the website. Using clean and lightweight code contributes positively to performance. Each line should serve a purpose, without unnecessary elements that will delay loading.
Avoid “heavy” code
“Heavy” code can be a serious reason for the slow operation of the online store. Developers should choose clean and efficient lines of code. A simple and lightweight code makes the page faster and improves the user experience. Avoiding complex solutions will contribute positively to overall performance. Even code that works with the latest versions of programming languages e.g. latest versions of php is always more efficient and fast.
Update of the Eshop platform
Updating your online store platform is critical for speed and security. New versions often fix security holes and optimize performance. Additional upgrades may include new features that make management easier. It is important to regularly check for available updates and install them immediately. We recommend once a month that you carry out all the recommended updates.
Update theme and plugins
Regularly updating the theme and plugins is important for the security and performance of the online store. A refreshed theme can speed up navigation and reduce load time, thus boosting the performance of your online business.
Final thoughts
To see the real difference in the performance of the online store, it is useful to analyze the performance after the improvements. A happy audience means better ratings and boosted sales. Don’t forget that continuous improvement is the key to success in the digital world. Note the changes and track the results to see what really works.
Is all of the above enough? Maybe yes, maybe not, but if you do, we’re sure you’ll see a real difference. The biggest difference in the speed of an eshop or a website will be made by a good server (we said we recommend litespeed servers) and good initial code.
Analysis of performance after improvements
After changes are made, performance monitoring is important. Check page load time and user experience. Use tools like Google Analytics and Search Console to see visitor traffic and behavior. Customer satisfaction will increase, leading to better reviews and potentially more sales.
Finally, you can also watch our video about the speed of your website or eshop
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