Page speed has always been a factor in web design. Today, it is not only a factor in good design but also good Search Engine Optimization. Both factors are important to creating a good user experience. Ten to fifteen years ago, before high-speed Internet connections were commonplace there was a 30 second rule that good designers lived by; if a page took longer than 30 seconds to load it was too big. With the advancement of graphics design programs creating smaller and smaller file sizes, high-speed Internet and faster computers the average person has increased expectations and if a page does not load in 5-10 seconds they are more likely to click back and pick the next page in the search results list.
Google (who maintains a 65% share of the search engine market), has now incorporated page speed into their search algorithm for determining page rank and position. Page rank (the importance of a page relative to the rest of the Web) is the culmination of many factors and is a key component in determining the overall position of a web page in search results.
Everybody wants their website to come up first but it does not happen by accident and once you do get there it takes work to keep the position. It is the ultimate King of the Mountain game with thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars at stake. Every click-through is a potential new customer, contact, referral or sale. Knowing how to gain a leading position and also how to ensure the most promising user experience takes more than just knowing the in and outs of web design, it has to work hand in hand with industry experience and knowledge.
Nobody knows your product better than you. There may be thousands of companies selling pumps but every one of them has something unique that set them apart. When so much of it might be the same, focusing on what you have to bring to the table can often be the difference in clicking on the contact button or the back button. Page speed is certainly an important aspect. When put together with well thought-out, efficient, customer focused web design that that has been shaped with industry knowledge and technical expertise King of the Mountain is a great place to be.
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