A web page speed is also referred to as the “page-load time”. It is simply the amount of time that it takes for the pages of your website to load or become visible, once a user requests them.
If you are new to website development, you might not understand all of the factors that affect page-load time or even why it is important. You can learn about those things here. First, let’s look at why it is important. In the days of dial-up, pages loaded slowly because of the connection. Webmasters were careful not to use too many images or graphics, because it would make their pages even slower to load.
People with a slow connection are accustomed to waiting. Many of today’s internet users have high speed internet. DSL, cable and FIOS are responsible for that. They are not accustomed to waiting.
So, whether your users have fast or slow connections, you could lose their interest if your pages take too long to load.
The factors that affect how fast your pages load include graphics and photos, otherwise known as “objects”, according to Google. Executing scripts, resolving DNS names, transmitting HTTP requests and setting up the connections are other factors known as front-end code.
A quick, convenient, and effective way to check your website page speed is to go to a site called GTmetrix.
Once you enter your website URL, GTMetrix will give you a grade on your overall speed and also it will analyze components your entire site. The program will also grade each factor that could affect your sites’s performance and give you recommendations on how to improve them.
The analysis provided by GTMetrix can help you to make your site faster which in turn will keep your users engaged and on-site.
The program is one of many tools available for website publishers. Whether you have been publishing websites for years or are just planning to publish one in the near future, it makes sense to use all of the analytical tools available.
Google has said in the past that page speed plays a part as a ranking factor. It simply makes sense in order to keep your web visitors engaged to have a site that is not sluggish. Plug your URL into GTMetrix and check your site speed. It’s free to use, and you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.