Site load speed is a measurement of how fast the content on your page fully loads. Many factors can affect the loading time of a page. Here are some ways to improve your site speed.
Use the latest and supported browser
Check if your browser is the latest version. Strikingly supports the browser versions listed in this guide.
Optimize your home page/landing page
It's said most visitors will leave if it takes time to load the homepage. Make sure to display only relevant, useful, simple content to attract your visitors to explore the rest of the pages. We recommend using fewer media, such as images, and videos on your homepage. Excessive information can be overwhelming, and the visitors may click away.
Keep your content lightweight
We recommend no more than 5 sections on one page. If your page has more than 5 sections or one topic, distribute them across your new pages.
Use "Read more", "Check out my portfolio" or "Watch more videos" to encourage site visitors to explore your site's content. This keeps your homepage clean and organized, also it's easier for your visitors to find the information they need.
Reduce image size
Strikingly automatically reduce the size of images uploaded. However, if you have lots of images, it will make the site slow, especially on mobile devices and slower connections.
- JPEG is recommended because JPEG images are 80% smaller and have almost the same quality.
- If your image needs a transparent background, use PNG. PNG files are best used for icons and logos.
- GIF is good for showcasing animated content, but it must be fully downloaded before they begin to play. We recommend converting it into a video with better quality and smaller sizes.
Reduce the number of videos
Add videos like YouTube or Vimeo, including background videos, can take a longer time to load, especially on mobile devices. It's best not to have more than one video on one page.
If you have more than one video, you can add video links to text, buttons, etc. For example, you can put one video and add a "See All Videos" button that links to a separate page with all the videos or your videos channel.
Use special effects wisely
Special effects such as Text + Button Slider, Banner Image Slider, or animation can enhance the visual appeal of your site. However, they can affect your page loading speed and impact your SEO. We recommend having 2–3 slides in one slider section, and not having more than one slider section on your page.
Minimize custom code or third-party apps
Custom code (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) or third-party embedded code can cause your site to load slowly.
We recommend not putting them on your home page or adding links to a button, text, or image on the homepage that will navigate your visitors to them.
Avoid custom font
Custom fonts for headings are fine, try not to use custom fonts everywhere. Because if you use a font that does not exist on your visitor's device, then the font has to be downloaded first. It will take time to load the text.
Clear browsing history & cache
When the site has been opened on the browser the first time, it will create a small image of the site, so it will be faster to pull up when you revisit the site. However, caches might also be the cause of why sites load slowly, especially when there are few published edits. This is because the browser would read that the small image it created before conflicts with the changes to the site. You may try using private mode or use a different browser.
Check for other causes
There could be more factors that can affect your site load speed. This includes:
- Third-party domain configuration
- Device's memory and capacity
- Local network firewalls
- Anti-virus software
- Browser extensions
You may try using private mode or a different browser, disabling anti-virus software, switching to another network, restarting your router, etc.
In case you need assistance, shoot us a line at support@strikingly.com or chat with us.