Are you struggling with a slow Shopify store that’s hurting your sales and search engine rankings? Fret not, because we’ve got you covered with our Shopify page speed fix! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore 11 proven tips to help you speed up your Shopify store, boost conversion rates, and skyrocket your rankings in no time. So, buckle up and let’s dive right in.
Key Takeaways
- Shopify page speed is essential for user experience, conversion rates and search engine rankings.
- Various optimisation strategies can be used to improve Shopify store performance, such as image/video optimisation techniques and implementing lazy loading.
- Technical optimisations like minifying CSS can help optimise shop speed through Shopify speed optimisation.
Understanding the Importance of Shopify Page Speed
Keeping customers engaged and driving sales requires a fast and responsive Shopify website. In fact, optimising your Shopify store speed is crucial, as Google recommends a website speed of less than two seconds.
But what exactly makes Shopify page speed so important? We will explore its effect on user experience, conversion rates, and search engine rankings.
The Impact on User Experience
Imagine visiting a store to make a purchase, only to find that the shelves take forever to load. Frustrating, right? That’s precisely how your customers feel when your Shopify store takes too long to load. Providing a satisfactory user experience and improving search engine rankings necessitates a good Shopify speed score.
Optimising image files and managing third-party app usage can help to speed up your Shopify store. Website heatmap tools can be utilised to gain insight into visitor behaviour on store pages and optimise them accordingly.
Simplifying the homepage design can cut down customer abandonment caused by slow-loading elements. Hosting videos externally on a Shopify store can help improve store speed and enhance the user experience.
Conversion Rates and Sales
Did you know that faster page speeds can result in higher conversion rates and increased sales? That’s right! Customers are more likely to complete purchases on a website with quick loading times. Page speed optimisation could potentially lead to increased sales by providing customers with a positive website experience.
To optimise page speed for conversion rates and sales, consider implementing the following strategies for Shopify page speed optimisation:
- Select an appropriate Shopify theme
- Optimise images and videos
- Manage Shopify apps for improved performance
- Implement lazy loading
- Minimise redirects and repair broken links
- Employ system fonts
- Leverage Google Tag Manager
- Implement Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
Search Engine Rankings
Page speed can have a considerable influence on search engine rankings, with faster-loading sites being more likely to appear higher in search results and thus attract more organic traffic. Google has confirmed that page speed is a ranking factor, and a faster website can help improve rankings.
Implementing performance techniques such as Deferred Video Loading can enable faster loading of your website by deferring the loading of video resources until they are required. In essence, improving your Shopify site speed can give you a competitive edge in search engine rankings, driving more traffic and potential customers to your online store.
Assessing Your Current Shopify Page Speed
Identifying areas of improvement requires an assessment of your current Shopify page speed before delving into optimisation strategies. You can view your store’s speed score within Shopify Admin by navigating to Online Store > Themes and viewing the Speed score for the last seven days. Additionally, you can utilise Google PageSpeed Insights to evaluate your store’s speed and gain valuable insights into performance metrics and suggested improvements.
Considering both controllable and non-controllable factors that influence your store’s speed score is necessary. Controllable elements include apps, images, videos, fonts, and your theme, while non-controllable factors comprise the customer’s device, network, location, Shopify infrastructure, and Content Delivery Network (CDN). By understanding these factors, you can make informed decisions on how to improve your store’s speed.
Choosing the Right Shopify Theme
Optimising your website’s loading speed rests heavily on the Shopify theme you select. When selecting a theme, consider factors such as speed, brand style, and content requirements. Ensure that you test the theme to verify it meets your desired criteria before finalising it.
Choosing a lightweight Shopify theme, such as Dawn, can instantly provide your website with improved performance. Dawn is a free theme that emphasises speed and ensures a satisfactory experience across all browsers. Choosing the right theme lays a solid foundation for a well-oiled, fast Shopify store.
Image and Video Optimisation Techniques
Images and videos can significantly impact your store’s loading speed, especially if they are not properly optimised. Techniques such as compression and resizing can decrease file sizes and improve loading times. For images, consider using WebP format and adhering to appropriate Shopify image sizes.
For videos, consider the following:
- Hosting them on external sources like Vimeo and YouTube
- Utilising lite embeds
- Following the recommended approach for embedding videos on a Shopify store
Creating a visually appealing store that loads quickly and provides a satisfying user experience requires optimised images and videos.
At MermaidDevs, we love Shortpixel for its ease of use. You can install it as a app/plugin or use their free online compression tool.
Managing Shopify Apps for Better Performance
Shopify apps can greatly enhance your store’s functionality, but they can also slow down your site if not managed effectively. To improve site performance, follow these steps:
- Remove unnecessary apps.
- Limit third-party JavaScript.
- Periodically evaluate the apps installed in your store to ensure their efficacy.
- Remove any app that is not contributing value.
Keep in mind that installing apps adds scripts to your website, which are necessary to utilise the app’s features but come with a performance cost. Efficient management of Shopify apps strikes the right balance between functionality and performance.
Sometimes, it is worth investing in custom Shopify development and getting your desired features built directly into your theme. That way, you avoid additional loading time for the app’s scripts, as well as ongoing subscription fees.
Implementing Lazy Loading
Lazy loading is a technique that can improve page speed by loading images and other resources only when necessary, reducing the initial load time. This can be achieved by utilising JavaScript to detect when an element is visible in the viewport, at which point the content can be loaded.
The primary advantage of lazy loading is that it decreases the initial page loading time, thus enhancing the user experience and aiding with search engine rankings. However, keep in mind that lazy loading could potentially increase the overall page load time as it may cause some content to load later than expected.
Reducing Redirects and Fixing Broken Links
Redirects and broken links can negatively impact your Shopify store’s page speed. Here are some ways to improve page speed:
- Reduce redirects to minimise HTTP requests and avoid redirect loops.
- Fix broken links to prevent additional HTTP requests.
- Both unwanted redirects and broken links can impede website performance and lengthen page load times.
To address broken links, you can:
- Utilise site audit tools to identify and fix them
- Create custom 404 pages to aid visitors who have inadvertently entered an incorrect URL
- Reduce redirects and fix broken links to create a seamless browsing experience for customers and boost the store’s speed.
Utilising System Fonts
Custom fonts may look aesthetically pleasing, but they can also slow down your Shopify store by requiring additional font files to be downloaded. Utilising system fonts can enhance page load speed by eliminating the need for additional font files. System fonts are typically pre-installed on most systems worldwide, thus providing a faster loading experience for your visitors.
System fonts can be divided into three distinct types: mono, serif and sans-serif. Each one has its own unique characteristics and qualities. System fonts are a great way to make your Shopify look professional. Times New Roman, Garamond, Lucide Grande, Courier New, Palatino, Trebuchet MS and Monaco are a few popular choices..
Maintaining a visually appealing store while improving loading speed is achievable by using system fonts.
Leveraging Google Tag Manager
Google Tag Manager is a tool that gives you control over your website’s tags. You can add and remove tags without needing to edit your website code. This can be particularly helpful for managing all of your website’s tracking code in a single location.
One of the advantages of Google Tag Manager is that all of the code is loaded asynchronously, which can improve page speed and reduce rendering issues. Leveraging Google Tag Manager streamlines tracking codes and facilitates asynchronous loading of JavaScript, leading to improved page speed and a superior overall browsing experience for customers.
Plus, Google Tag Manager is included with all Shopify plans, making it readily accessible for all store owners.
Implementing Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
Given the growing use of mobile devices for online shopping, optimising your Shopify store for mobile visitors is imperative. Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) is a technology that creates mobile-friendly web pages that load rapidly, providing an improved user experience for mobile visitors.
Implementing AMP pages can help cater to mobile users’ needs and ensure that your store loads quickly on all devices. However, keep in mind the challenges that come with implementing AMP, such as potential compatibility issues with certain Shopify features or apps.
Nonetheless, AMP can be a valuable addition to your mobile optimisation strategy, enhancing your store’s performance and user experience.
Technical Optimisations for Shopify Speed
In addition to the strategies discussed so far, technical optimisations can further improve your Shopify store’s performance and loading times. Minifying CSS, JavaScript, and HTML can help optimise site performance by removing superfluous characters, such as white space, line breaks, and comments, from the code. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is through Shopify speed optimisation.
Minimising the size of your code shortens the time taken for the code to be downloaded and processed by the browser. Implementing technical optimisations can give your store an extra boost in performance, ensuring a faster and more efficient shopping experience for your customers.
Summary
In conclusion, improving your Shopify store’s page speed is an essential aspect of providing a seamless user experience, boosting conversion rates, and climbing search engine rankings. By implementing the 11 proven tips discussed in this guide, such as choosing the right theme, optimising images and videos, managing Shopify apps, and implementing technical optimisations, you can speed up your store and achieve better overall performance. Now it’s time to apply these strategies and watch your Shopify store soar to new heights!
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my Shopify store speed so slow?
The theme or apps that you enable can slow down the speed of your Shopify store, as can oversized images and videos. To ensure your store runs optimally, only enable features and apps that are essential for your business and consider using lighter themes. Additionally, use Shopify’s safeguards to prevent overloading your store with images or videos.
How to boost Shopify store speed in 2023?
To boost your Shopify store speed in 2023, use a theme that is both quick and responsive, leverage reliable hosting services, utilise Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool, use Google Tag Manager, and improve performance with AMP.
What is the average Shopify page speed?
The average Shopify page speed score as measured by Google Lighthouse is over 50, with a higher score being more desirable. A score of 85 or above indicates an optimally functioning store.
What is lazy loading and how can it improve my Shopify store’s page speed?
Lazy loading is an efficient technique that loads images and resources only when needed, decreasing the initial page load time and enhancing the overall speed of your Shopify store.
How can I optimise images for my Shopify store?
Optimise images for your Shopify store by compressing, resizing, using WebP format, and ensuring you use the correct Shopify image sizes.
Need Help Optimising Your Shopify Store Speed?
We understand that optimising your Shopify store’s speed can seem like a daunting task. It requires technical know-how and a deep understanding of how various elements contribute to your store’s performance. That’s where we come in!
Our team of Shopify experts uses proven strategies and cutting-edge techniques to ensure that your Shopify store loads quickly and provides a seamless user experience.
Don’t let a slow-loading store hurt your sales and search engine rankings – contact us today to get started.