As consumers, we demand the quickest results from the provider with the most stars. And with Google, accessible at any moment from our smartphones, we can have just that! It has allowed us access to a world of knowledge and a myriad of options all within seconds. And it has raised our expectations of websites and products.

Competition has taken on an entirely new meaning in the digital age. And as such, you’ll need to consider a few things for your business’s success. First of all, you cannot ignore your digital presence. No matter your industry, this should be a key aspect of your marketing. Make sure that it is up to date and on par with search engine demands. A major factor in investing in digital marketing involves the speed of your website. You may have the sharpest-looking, most well-structured, and organized website around. But if it’s slow, you’ll be overlooked…within a matter of seconds.

5 Reasons Why You Need a Fast Website

There are several reasons to have a speedy website. However, all point to your bottom line. The speed of your website has a significant influence on the number of customers and conversions that it will generate:

1. Website speed as it pertains to search engines.
   Google, though made of a web of algorithms, is geared to help users find exactly what they are looking for. Keep in mind it’s mission statement when making updates to your site: “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.” This is why Google is going to favor the most relevant and speedy websites, in consideration of the user’s experience and expectations.
   In January, Google announced, “starting in July 2018, page speed will be a ranking factor for mobile searches.” The search engine has moved to a mobile-only index. This means that if your website is not fast enough for mobile devices, you’re likely to lose your ranking on Google. And if you slip from number one on peoples’ search results page to number nine, you’re going to feel the hit. According to Forbes, 67.6% of clicks go to the first five results. The following sites are often overlooked.
2. Website speed as it pertains to lost opportunities.
   Our world runs at a quick pace. We get answers fast, and now, we expect answers fast. So, you can’t blame peoples’ generally short attention spans. We are quick to notice wasted seconds and even quicker to find a better solution. That’s why within just 2-3 seconds of extra waiting for your webpage to load, a significant portion of your visitors will leave. Google found that 53% of mobile users will leave a site if it takes over three seconds to load. And most business’s sites take far longer than that.
   Think of those who’ve perhaps landed on your site, but their attention was lost in a matter of seconds. They then likely left for another business’s site. Each visitor had the potential to choose your services and pay you money. These are the lost opportunities, the missed chances that could have been yours had your site functioned more efficiently. Make sure to give your business every chance for success.
3. Website speed as it pertains to engagement.
   There are many factors involved in customer engagement. With your website, you’ll have to convince visitors that you are the best in the biz. And they’ll have to decide that you are credible and trust-worthy. This, as you know, is easier said than done. The speed of your site is one, among many essentials, to help gain customer engagement. If your homepage loads quickly, that’s great! But it doesn’t stop there. Make sure that every page of your site, not only the landing pages, are fast and easily used. If a user finds that something like your contact page is slow, they will not take the time to reach out. Provide your visitors with ways to easily engage you.
4. Website speed as it pertains to customer conversions.
   While engagement is key, your bottom line is about converting these inquiries into paying customers. And everything in this challenging process is expected immediately. An Unbounce survey found that almost 70 percent of consumers consider page speed as a factor in their decision to buy from an online source. So to make sure that the majority of your opportunities are made into sales, be sure that your web pages are fast.
   Your availability for response is also crucial. Though you may be quick to reply, your effort at times will still fail to meet each and every high expectation. You simply cannot be available 24/7/365. So, to rise to the occasion, you might consider implementing tools like live chat, click-to-call, or click-to-text for the times that you can’t be there.
5. Website speed as it pertains to customer expectations
   When it comes to your online presence, and especially your website, customers expect for you to be on top of your game. They are unforgiving if you do not meet their expectations of load speed, navigability, and user-friendliness. Sounds harsh, huh? So why do these everyday people expect so much of your business? Because they have hundreds of options available to them! With Google, comes competition like never before. If your site’s even a little bit slow…no problem, they’ll just move on to another! According to research conducted by Google, sites that loaded in five seconds or less saw a 25 percent higher viewability rate, 70 percent more time spent in a session, and a 35 percent lower bounce rate. And these numbers will only grow as users demand more.
   
   Consider these trends, also from a Google research study :
   
   • 1-3 seconds load time increase the bounce rate probability by 32%
   • 1-5 seconds load time increase the bounce rate probability by 90%
   • 1-6 seconds load time increase the bounce rate probability by 106%
   • 1-10 seconds load time increase the bounce rate probability by 123%

   Each reason for having a speedy site point back to your bottom line. Success begins with your marketability. And today’s world calls for a fast website. Do not get left in the dust and consider the ever-changing trends that will help you stand out among your competition.