Often when websites are designed, business owners think only of what they want to have on the website. Things such as speed, responsiveness and functionality often do not come into it unless you have an expert web designer giving you advice; however, these are important considerations. If a page on your website takes too long to upload, people looking at it might simply exit the site. Similarly, if when navigating to pages, it brings up errors then they may get frustrated and go to another website to find the information they are looking for. With these things in mind, here are a few tips on how to speed up your website.

Keep File Sizes Small

The more disk space there is to navigate through and the larger the files on your website, the longer they will take to upload. Text does not take up a large amount of disk space so you can use this to your advantage. The majority of your website should be made up of text.  This is often also referred to as web copy. However, make sure that the text you place on your website is concise and clear so it retains the reader's interest. Pictures take up much more disk space and therefore should be used in moderation. A website where the pictures do not upload properly may as well not have pictures on it at all. Instead of enhancing the website, they will actually make it look unattractive or cause users to get frustrated with the website.  Make sure that the file sizes are small. In this way, you can still have quality pictures on your website. When the files are small, pictures upload quickly which is what you want.

Limit Additional Graphics

Some people can get carried away with the number of animated graphics they have on their website. They design elaborate introductions to the website that take a considerable amount of time to upload. Remember that anything that slows down your website's functionality may not actually be enhancing it. Web users are getting so used to computers and websites that respond instantly to a click of a button. If it takes longer than that, they may get frustrated. Remember that most often if they are browsing the web, they are looking for information and less interested in fancy graphics. Focus less on impressing readers with your creativity and more on providing them with valuable information. Then you will have a website that is fast and efficient in bringing you more business.

Keep Your Website Clean and Updated

Take the time to properly maintain your website. It is important to keep updating and adding to your website so search engines find your website relevant. However, don't just keep adding to your website. Not all information will remain relevant. Clean out old files or put them in an archive section. This will help to keep your website clean and efficient. It will also help to keep it functioning at an optimum speed.

Keep Your Website Security Updated

Viruses are often the cause of systems slowing down or malfunctioning. It is essential to have adequate anti-virus protection. Regularly scan your website with your anti-virus software to ensure it is clean. Also make sure you update your anti-virus protection on a daily basis. New viruses are constantly being created and the only way you can ensure that you are protected is if you are diligent about downloading updates and scanning your website. Your hosting provider should also be vigilant about security on the server and provide you with an added level of protection.

Make Sure Your Server Has Adequate Capacity

If your website starts to grow rapidly, you may need to consider upgrading your web hosting package. Often businesses start out on a shared hosting package where their websites are hosted on a server together with other websites. These websites can affect the speed and responsiveness of your website if they too are operating at full capacity. In time, you may consider moving to a dedicated server where you will not need to share server space with anyone else. A dedicated server will improve the speed of your website and its functionality.

Use a Reputable Hosting Provider

Often a website's responsiveness and speed it affected by how well the server is maintained. A good hosting provider will be vigilant about maintaining the server and ensuring that there in minimal downtime. If your website is becoming increasingly slower, it may be time to shop around for a new hosting service provider that can provide you with more efficient hosting.