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Internet users aren't known for their patience. If you
make them wait - for information, for downloads, for
anything, in fact, they will click away from your website.
If you have a company website and you hope to boost
your business online, the tiny attention span of many
Internet users must be a key concern for you. In order
to make sure that viewers like your website and visit
often, you will want to build your website for speed.
In order to do this, you will have to:
1) Reduce graphics, Flash and scripts. All of these
significantly increase file size and slow your download
time down. If you are working with a web design firm
– and if you want professional results, you must
be – make sure that your design team understands
that you want simpler design and fast download speeds.
If you are having trouble scaling down, go back over
every graphic, Flash, and script and ask yourself whether
it contributes to your business goals. If the answer
is no, be ruthless in removing the offending item from
your website.
2) Optimize your HTML and script code. Unwanted tags
and unused scripts add nothing to your site and slow
down the speed at which your page downloads. Ask your
website design professionals to remove unused scripts
and unwanted tags and you must notice a speed difference
right away.
3) Consider different computers. Sure, your website
downloads fast on your state-of-the-art company computers,
but check out your site at the local Internet café
or library, where older computers are the name of the
game. Can someone with an older computer and slower
Internet connection access your site easily?
4) Use Server Side Include (SSI) files where you can.
SSI files reside in the web server cache after they
are accessed the first time. This means that your website
downloads faster for repeat visitors.
5) Don’t overlook organization. Your website
may download quickly, but if website users cannot find
the information they want quickly, you will still be
trying their patience. Organize your navigation system
so that it is easy for viewers to find the information
they want, and include a site map for easy navigation
as well. Divide your matter into manageable chunks and
use headlines and sub-heads with keywords to permits
viewers to quickly scan pages to find the information
they want. If your site is matter-heavy, work on your
matter so that it is split up into manageable pieces
that are not too large – and not too small. No
one wants to wade through hundreds of pages to find
information, but having to go to a new page every paragraph
is annoying, too.
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