Why your website speed matters, and how to fix a slow site.

You can have the best-looking website in Perth, but if it takes too long to load, many people will never see it. Speed affects how many visitors stay, how many contact you, and where Google ranks you. Here's what slows websites down, and how to fix it without being a developer.

Why speed matters

• People leave. On a phone, every extra second gives visitors another reason to tap back and try the next result.
• Google notices. Page experience, including loading speed, is one of the things Google considers when ranking sites.
• It shapes trust. A slow, jumpy site feels unreliable, even if your business isn't.

How to test your site

Go to Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool, enter your website address, and look at the mobile results. Don't panic about getting a perfect score. Focus on the main suggestions it gives you, and test on your own phone, on mobile data, too.

The most common causes

Huge images

This is the number one culprit. A photo straight off a modern phone or camera can be several megabytes. Your website rarely needs it to be more than a fraction of that. Resize images to the size they're actually shown, and use modern formats like WebP.

Too many plugins

Every plugin, slider, chat widget and tracking script adds weight. Many sites carry plugins that were installed once and forgotten. Remove anything you don't use.

Heavy page builders and themes

Some themes load code for features you'll never use, on every page. That's why I build lean, hand-crafted sites rather than relying on heavy page builders.

Cheap or distant hosting

If your site is hosted overseas on a crowded server, it starts every visit at a disadvantage. Australian hosting makes a noticeable difference for local customers.

Autoplay videos and big sliders

They look impressive in a design meeting, but they're slow on phones and most visitors scroll straight past.

Quick wins you can do this week

1. Resize and compress the images on your homepage.
2. Delete plugins and widgets you don't use.
3. Replace a homepage slider with one strong image and a clear message.
4. Ask your host where your site is hosted, and whether caching is turned on.

If your site is still slow after that, the problem is usually in how it was built. Send it through and I'll tell you whether it can be tuned up or needs a fresh start.