Focus On Series: Is Your Website Performance okay?

Archive blog
5 minutes read

Website performance matters

A website is a crucial touch point on a prospect’s online journey. As a virtual shop window, a website must not only look visually engaging but be functional and responsive at all times and across all devices. Slow to load pages, broken links and poor mobile functionality can immediately turn a prospect from engaged to dismayed regardless of how many pretty graphics are on the page. And the stats speak for themselves – 46% of users don’t return to poorly performing websites; 44% of online shoppers will tell their friends about a bad experience online [1]. Website performance matters.

When you consider that a website feeds almost every aspect of a company’s digital strategy – providing landing pages for paid search campaigns, content for organic rankings and reinforcing your social voice, getting a website “right” is vital to support your wider marketing strategy and marketing plan.

How do you know if your website is performing?

In today’s dedicated “focus on series”, the Think Beyond digital specialists answer this by outlining five website key performance indicators that every business should be tracking. Our experts also share their tips for website performance optimisation to help you get digitally fit and make the most out of every web contact. Remember, your website is something you should continually revisit, refresh and optimise for technology changes, payment changes, GDPR and privacy, SEO algorithm changes and more.

If you’d prefer to discuss your online marketing plan with one of our Chartered Marketers call 01565 632206 for a friendly chat.

Take 5 web insights: How to measure and improve your site’s performance

Regardless of website build platform, Think Beyond recommend you take note of the following 5 performance metrics on your site:

1. Test your website’s speed

Speed really is of the essence when it comes to website performance. According to the latest research, 1 in 4 visitors would abandon a website if it takes more than 4 seconds to load [2].

Use a website speed test tool to determine how your site measures up and ensure that images are optimised. 301 redirects and 404 errors should also be cleared up to help drive performance.

2. How does it function on mobile?

We truly are in the age of mobile first. 40% of smartphone and tablet owners search for B2B products on those devices [3]. Within the B2C arena, 50% of total e-commerce revenue comes from mobile devices [4].

Test and re-test your site’s mobile performance and utilise website analytics to identify any drop-off points specific to mobile that could indicate an issue with user flow and user experience. Does that button sit properly in mobile view? Does your text spill over the page?

3. Focus on bounce rate

Bounce rate is the cornerstone of website performance. A high bounce rate indicates that prospects are not engaging with your content and site.

Critically analyse your pages with tools such as heat mapping or leverage neuroscience techniques in neuromarketing to suggest design and/or content edits to maximise click-through and conversion rate (CRO). If you are investing a substantial amount of money in your website shop window or building a complex e-commerce platform, it would help to know that your investment will pay off and neuromarketing can help increase confidence in the ROI.

A rogue broad match keyword within one of your Pay Per Click (PPC) campaigns could quickly (and unintentionally) send your bounce rate soaring with no prospect of conversion. Similarly, keyword light copy constructed without Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) in mind can hinder your chances of ranking organically meaning that your website may never reach your target audiences.

4. Time on site matters too

If bounce rate is the cornerstone of website performance, time on site should be seen as a supporting crux, or prop at least. Whilst a “good” time on site will vary between sectors, industries and companies, average session duration across the board is 2 minutes and 17 seconds [5].

But be cautious not to take long time on site as a purely positive metric – yes, the more time a prospect spends on your site, the more content they consume and the more likely they are to convert. However, if you are getting good time on site but no conversions, it’s time to examine your conversion paths and get to grips with CRO (conversion rate optimisation).

5. Don’t ignore basket abandonment

According to the oracle known as Wikipedia [6], shopping basket abandonment averages 68% and it is claimed that the most optimised checkout process still has an abandonment rate of 20%. Not only should you measure and monitor this KPI, you should investigate the causes behind basket abandonment. Issues could range from the already mentioned website speed, coding issues, surprise charges, poor user experience during checkout, clunky payment processes, forgotten passwords or even just a long enough process to cause a customer to rethink their purchase.

Discover what metrics matter most to your business by checking out our guide to setting the right key performance indicators.

How Think Beyond can help grow your online presence

Think Beyond is a Cheshire business and marketing consultancy that offers full digital marketing strategy support to businesses across the North West and beyond. Our aim is to help accelerate your marketing potential, providing effective end-to-end demand generation and digital gains that examine not just website performance but user experience and data across all touch points both on and offline.

Guided by a philosophy of partnership, our marketing specialists always work with and alongside your existing team to deliver measured solutions that are rooted in marketing science. Our consultancy packages are completely tailored to your business needs and can range from a digital web refresh, content and social media marketing training for your staff through to ongoing Marketing Director support via our Marketing Director as a Service (MDaaS). With access to an extensive partner network of creative teams and digital experts within their field, Think Beyond will design and deliver an up-to-date online strategy that works for you, your business and offers a true ROI.

Contact the Think Beyond digital marketing experts

Want to know how Think Beyond can help support your marketing performance on and offline?

Get in touch with one of our friendly CIM qualified marketing consultants today. Call 01565 632206 now for a no obligation chat.

You may also wish to book a free one hour initial consultation by submitting your details online.

Why not check out our range of marketing training workshops or read what our clients have to say about working with us by viewing our case studies and testimonials.

 


  1. Kinsta.com
  2. Kinsta.com
  3. Learn.g2.com
  4. Infront.com
  5. Brafton.com
  6. Wikipedia