Speed as a Feature: Analyzing Fast Websites in the Wild
This blog is written by Akshat Virmani at KushoAI. We're building the fastest way to test your APIs. It's completely free and you can sign up here.
As a fan of superheroes, I like superpowers like superspeed, just like Flash or Sonic. Unfortunately, this cannot happen in real life. I will tell you how the current superheroes, i.e., Software developers, can make their websites fast. Let’s talk about speed as a feature in websites.
Why Speed Matters for Modern Websites
Users expect sites to load quickly and run smoothly for a good user experience, but this could also be a case of short attention spam. Research has shown that users leave a site if it takes more than three seconds to load, as slow sites often lead to frustration and high bounce rates. Search engines like Google prioritise fast-loading websites as it contributes to the website's SEO factor, making speed really important for better rankings and visibility.
A fast website also helps on the business side, encouraging visitors to explore more pages, spend more time, and make purchases or inquiries. Faster sites are more likely to convert visitors into customers, resulting in more positive brand perception, higher customer satisfaction, and, ultimately, greater revenue.
How to Measure Website Speed
The following provides metrics on website performance, allowing for targeted optimisations. Regular monitoring helps ensure a website maintains high speed even as new features and content are added.
Tools like Google Lighthouse, WebPageTest, and GTmetrix provide metrics that offer insights into website performance. Key metrics include:
Time to First Byte (TTFB): Measures the time it takes for a browser to receive the first byte of data from the server.
First Contentful Paint (FCP): Captures the time it takes for the first element to load and be visible.
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures the time for the main content of a page to load, often a more comprehensive indicator of user experience.
Effective Performance Optimization Techniques
1. Optimizing Images and Media
- Images often make up a significant portion of a website’s data. Compressing images using modern formats like WebP can drastically reduce load times. Lazy loading can also be helpful in this scenario.
2. Reducing Unnecessary Code
- Removing unnecessary characters, comments, and whitespace can minimise HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files. Tools like UglifyJS and CSSNano make it simple to reduce file sizes and improve loading times.
3. Caching
- The use of browser caching allows websites to store static files on users’ systems, so they don’t need to be downloaded again during repeat visits. This method speeds up page load times and reduces server requests.
4. Reducing HTTP Requests
- Each HTTP request takes time; reducing the use of plugins and leveraging inline SVGs for icons can improve load times.
Case Study: McMaster-Carr
McMaster-Carr is often considered one of the best examples of how speed-focused design can be a game-changer. Their website is built with minimalistic design principles and optimised to load pages quickly, allowing users to access products and information really fast. By eliminating excessive graphics and complex scripts, McMaster-Carr has developed a website that excels in simplicity and speed, providing users with a fantastic browsing experience.
To Conclude
These were some of the tips and insights, along with case studies, on how to make your website faster for better user experience and business growth. Server-side rendering is also an option that can be explored for building fast websites.
This blog is written by Akshat Virmani at KushoAI. We're building an AI agent that tests your APIs for you. Bring in API information and watch KushoAI turn it into fully functional and exhaustive test suites in minutes.