Improve Site Performance & Security for More Sales

Contrary to popular belief, the product doesn’t sell itself. To be more precise, it can sell itself but only to a certain point which means you are limiting the potential of your business. If you wish your business and revenue to grow, there are many other elements that need to be in tiptop shape.

Since your website is the face of your business, it needs to be a well-oiled machine that would have no problem motivating visitors to convert. So, let’s go over some tips to tie any loose ends you might have and ensure your website’s performance and security are up to par.

#1. Boost the website loading speed

We lead busy lives, check our emails on the bus, read proposals while munching on breakfast toast; we scarcely have time to lose which is why we need and expect other elements that make up our lives to function in a similar way. This means that, when searching for information online or shopping for a pair of sneakers, we expect the website to load in 3 seconds.

If it takes longer than those three seconds, the website content will not matter because an average customer will already be off to some other website. Every additional second will cost you a loss in conversions of 7%. So, start by checking your current speed with any of the online speed test tools. Also, one of the simplest tricks is to reduce the image size, especially if your website has a lot of images. All in all, improving your loading speed will give you the opportunity to actually show your offer to website visitors. 

#2. Responsiveness as a mandatory element

Responsiveness correlates with the need for a shorter loading time: a typical office no longer consists of rows and rows of identical computers but people scattered in every room, some using laptops, others smartphones or tablets. Those same people purchase clothes, food, cinema tickets, and even groceries online, and being busy as they are, they rarely do it sitting at their computers at home. 

This is why these modern times demand responsiveness as one of the features of your website. Your website needs to be fully functional and load quickly in its entirety on any device, as well as maintain integrity across any screen size. Your customers expect to be able to navigate through and purchase from your website via their smartphones while they are on the move which is why this improvement in the performance is essential. 

#3. Focus on backlink analysis

When it comes to the debate of organic vs. paid advertising, the most honest answer to what you should invest in is that it depends on what you wish to achieve. Instant but short-term results are the benefits of paid advertising, making it more suitable for specific marketing campaigns. However, since we are discussing long-term results, organic SEO strategies are what you should be aiming at.

SEO strategies consist of many elements and it requires a lot of work and tweaking to make it just right. One of the crucial elements is backlinking, that is, monitoring the links that lead to your website and making sure they aren’t broken or low-quality. Since this analysis can save your reputation, most entrepreneurs leave this portion of their SEO efforts to an experienced white label SEO company that can also help identify when and how your brand is mentioned online. By tying your website only to reputable websites and blogs, you will boost credibility which makes you more desirable to customers.

#4. Reliable hosting equals more security

When it comes to hosting, it is better to be offline for a few days than to have just any hosting provider. Any security measures you take on your end will not matter that much if hosting provider’s servers are compromised because your website will be compromised as well. The security is the main reason shared hosting is not the best option, in addition to Google not holding such websites in high regard.

To be considered as secure, your hosting provider needs to guarantee uptimes, ensure the website is scanned 24/7 for signs of suspicious activities, and of course, make certain that the servers are also physically secure. Additionally, when choosing a hosting provider, it is best you do extensive research, compare different offers, and read online reviews. Some providers may seem cheap until you realize that there are some hidden costs. So, research and if you can, don’t go for the cheapest option because you usually don’t get value for money. 

#5. Consider user experience and interface

Many entrepreneurs are baffled by the question of what the customers want but in fact, the answer is more straightforward than they think: fast and simple user experience. Typical users want to find a particular piece of information when they visit your website, so for starters, make sure all links to your website (at least those you have control of, such as from your social media profiles) lead to the pages they should and not solely to the home page.

Also, the website navigation should be plain and intuitive because that is the only way you will get them to spend more time exploring. You shouldn’t go wild with call-to-action buttons because instead of inspiring customers to action, they will be viewed as distracting and annoying. A tailored interface is one of the essential elements of quality user experience that attracts more visitors. 

Final thoughts

Although your products and services are the basis of your business, your website’s performance and security are, without a doubt, crucial elements to the growth of your company. It will take a bit of time and some additional effort on your part, but the results you are striving to achieve will be long-term ones you can be proud of.