Why Should Mobile and Desktop Speed Be Your Top Priority?

(cover image: car speed odometer)

Hi Everyone!

Even though I've been working on content and doing SEO on my website, I learned that paying attention to your mobile and desktop speed with Google Page Speed Insights is very important. It should be your priority to monitor them. I understand that some people do not bother with it.

My point is that if your site speed is slow due to large images that are not optimized, social media plugins, or other plugins that bog down your site, it is not a good idea to ignore them. I quickly realized that having a faster-loading website is better for the user experience.

Since most Internet users access websites via mobile devices, it's no surprise that Google makes mobile speed an important ranking factor. But why should desktop and mobile speed also be a top priority? Let me share my experience with a frozen Imagify plugin. How did I resolve it to improve my website speed? I share some small tips that I used to help me improve my speed.

Two Weeks Problem with Imagify Plugin Froze

My Imagify plugin and bulk optimization failed to work a few weeks ago. I am a paid subscriber, but their support team was unresponsive, and it took them nearly two weeks to get back to me. They suggested I download a troubleshooting plugin and send it to support.

The lack of response was frustrating. A person via email gave me self-troubleshooting instructions, but they didn't work. They required me to have some coding knowledge, which I know nothing about. 6 days ago, I got a newer plugin version, but it didn't help with my slow website speed due to unoptimized images. The Imagify plugin remained frozen. It was unable to function.

I doubted I could resolve the problem with the Imagify plugin, so I contacted their team with screenshot evidence, but they didn't respond. I got fed up and tired of waiting. Out of frustration, I uninstalled the plugin and found an alternative plugin that gave me a better result.

My Alternative Solution

A representative regretted this and promised a refund in an email. However, my concern was also to resolve the problem. I agreed to a refund but later discovered that Imagify, a top optimizing plugin, caused issues for several customers.

It's concerning that a plugin with a good reputation would experience issues, and more worrisome is that their development team is unsure of the cause. Imagify isn't working on my website anymore. I tried ShortPixel. It was ok, not that great. I uninstalled it and looked for something else.

In my opinion, developers should remove it from WordPress and focus on fixing the issue. I've switched to another plugin, Optimole. I will not know how effective it is until it is thoroughly tested.

I had used Optimole before. It didn't work well. I switched to Imagify. I had no trouble with it until it quit working two weeks ago. I find it odd that Optimole solved my website speed after installing the plugin.

See screenshots

Screenshot 1: Mobile speed using Kadence theme

Screenshot 2: Desktop Speed Kadence Theme

Interesting. When I had the Imagify plugin, the speed for both Mobile and Desktop was in the 80s.

Sometimes, it's just one of those things. You use a plugin, and after a while, something pops up, and it no longer works. That is one of the annoying problems with using a third-party plugin.

Let's move on to the main point of the question.

Why Should Mobile and Desktop Speed Be Your Priority?

Online business owners must pay attention to the speed of their websites. Users expect quick load times on mobile and desktop devices, and slow speeds can drive users away to faster competitor sites.

For a seamless user experience, speedy website loading is vital to your website's speed success. A website that loads quickly is crucial for ranking high on Google. Improving website speed can potentially increase organic traffic and visibility.

A fast-loading website is necessary for a better user experience and SEO. Honestly, A one-second delay can cause problems for you. I paid attention to my mobile and desktop speed for a better experience for people accessing my website and the search engine results.

Impact Website Speed for User Experience, Search Engine Ranking, and Conversions

When it comes to website speed, the impact is far-reaching. First and foremost, user experience is directly linked to how quickly your site loads. Think about your browsing habits - do you stick around on a slow-loading site or quickly move on? I wouldn't.

Users expect instant gratification and will likely bounce if the page loads too long.

Search engines such as Google consider website speed when ranking websites. A website that loads quickly can boost its visibility in search results, increasing organic traffic to your page.

Optimizing your website's speed can enhance user experience and improve online visibility, as search engines rank websites based on speed.

A fast website speed is crucial for successful conversions. Users are more likely to take action on a fast-loading site, resulting in better engagement and search engine rankings. Prioritizing website speed is essential for creating seamless user experiences and maximizing conversion rates.

Tips for Improving Website Speed

When it comes to improving your website speed, there are several tips you can implement to enhance the user experience and boost your search engine rankings. I followed all 6 of these tips, and it worked for me.

1. Optimize images: Use tools like TinyPNG, Short Pixels, or Optimole to compress and optimize your images without sacrificing quality.
2. Minify CSS and JavaScript: Regularly removing unnecessary characters from code can reduce your website's file size and improve its performance.
3. Enable browser caching: You can store frequently used files on a user's computer, reducing loading times.
4. Optimize code: Use tools such as Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to analyze your website's performance and identify areas for improvement.
5. Limit plugins and scripts: Use only essential plugins and scripts on your site, and review and remove any that are no longer needed regularly.
6. Implement lazy loading: Slowly loading images improves initial page loading times by delaying the loading of images until needed. Optimole solves this problem.
   

Monitor and optimize your website's performance regularly to ensure it stays fast and efficient.

FYI: I am aware that WA plans to focus on improving our website speed. I hope they will be able to do that soon. I did see Kyle mention that in one of his vblogs.

Final Thoughts: Prioritizing Website Speed

Your website's speed and mine should be our top priority. Ensuring it loads quickly for mobile and desktop versions can significantly impact your user experience, search engine rankings, and conversions.

The last thing I want to mention here is this point: first impressions matter with your website speed, and users will likely move on if they encounter slow-loading pages. Take the time to assess your current website speed performance and implement the necessary changes to improve it. Your and mine efforts will pay off in the long run if we provide a seamless browsing experience for all users across various devices.

-BrendaMZ

PS: Are any of you still struggling with slow website speed? If so, have you attempted to solve it? What have you done or not done? Do you have ideas or suggestions for improving website speed by reducing your images? I know some people have no problems with Imagify, and others, like myself, got hit with a dead plugin that refused to work.