Millions of people today sell their merchandise and products using Shopify. Shopify is a well-renowned platform to sell online and grow revenue. Shopify platform has eCommerce solutions for businesses of every size and structure. Shopify enables enterprises to build a digital store, market to find customers, and accept payments from multiple payment gateways all in one place.
With Shopify, business owners can create and customize an online store and market in multiple places, including online and across mobile devices. Through powerful integrations, orders and customer information can be synced across various channels, from social media platforms to online marketplaces.
Shopify is an entirely secure and cloud-based platform, which means you can safely access it from any compatible device with an internet connection. This gives you the flexibility and ease to run your business from anywhere.
Why Do You Require Shopify Speed Optimization?
Shopify store speed optimization is required for every Shopify store because websites with slow loading can’t get good Google search engine rankings. Slow-loading online store websites can lead to a high bounce rate, low user engagement, less traffic, and low popularity of your brand.
Let’s consider some facts to verify that Shopify store speed optimization is necessary. If a website’s loading speed goes from 1 second to 3 seconds, its bounce rate probably increases by 32%. Also, if a website’s loading speed goes from 3 to 5 seconds, its bounce rate will probably increase by 90%. Therefore, it is evident that your website should load super quickly to avoid a high bounce rate and low user engagement and avoid losing out on sales opportunities.
The following tips can improve Shopify store speed if you are running a Shopify eCommerce store.
1) eCommerce Mobile and Desktop performance with PageSpeed insights
This Google tool generates page speed scores and suggestions to improve your website to load it faster. Some of the suggestions for Shopify store speed optimization are optimizing images, minifying CSS code, minifying JavaScript, leveraging browser caching to reduce server response time, avoiding landing page redirects, and Gzip compression. Google recommends running your site through the Test My Site Tool, which allows you to analyze mobile friendliness and page speed.
2) Make your page load fast with AMP
AMP is an open standard framework for any website owner to create fast-loading web pages on mobile devices. More than 50% of shoppers buy from mobile devices like Android, so ensuring your website is mobile-ready and loads quickly is very essential. Hence, with AMP (Mobile Accelerated Pages) technology, users can load your website quickly on mobile devices.
3) Compressing available images
Image compression is a required procedure for faster loading of web pages. While optimizing images, ensure your pictures are in acceptable size and do not add too many non-optimized photos on a single page. You must remember the image’s quality while performing image compression on your online store. The page load time automatically improves once you replace all the non-optimized images with the optimized versions. For existing images on a Shopify store, you can also use either Crush. Pics or Image Optimizer to compress all image files without any quality loss.
4) Download a Fast and Responsive Shopify Theme for Your Store –
Site store speed mainly depends on the site theme, so before you install a theme, you should always have a fast and responsive theme. Check for an up-to-date copy of your theme and the live preview of the chosen theme. Run the theme preview page through Google PageSpeed Insight and see the suggestions to make that page faster. Team Appco Software also provides Shopify theme customization services to enhance your online store’s usability and customer experiences. Your store can be successfully optimized to load quickly on all devices with our team of knowledgeable Shopify developers. Shopify theme customization by Appco Software can lead to a better user experience, more website conversions, and increased customer retention.
5) Reduce the HTTP requests –
GiftOfSpeed provides an HTTP Requests Checker tool to determine how many total HTTPS requests your page makes. You can reduce HTTP requests by combining and inlining CSS scripts, inlining small Javascript code, minimizing the use of design & functional images in store, and limiting the number of buttons for social sharing buttons.
6) Reduce the Number of Shopify Apps –
It is evident that if you have many apps in the Shopify store, it will take more time to load and thus will lead to slow-performing websites. The main problem is that if you are not using the installed app, the JavaScript/CSS files run in the background, making your website performance slower. You must check and remove all Shopify apps you are not using. There might be some Shopify apps you tried and forgot to delete.
7) Minimize Redirects and Store Broken Links –
The store performance issue may occur due to too many redirects and broken links. Unnecessary redirects on a store can create performance and speed issues, which could affect the store’s overall load time. In the Shopify platform, you can apply 301 redirects by the built-in redirects function called “URL redirect.”
Also, broken links on your store can be harmful, increasing your unnecessary HTTP requests and creating a bad user experience. You can use free tools like Broken Link Checker and Xenu to find and fix broken links across your website. Appco Software is a Shopify SEO expert who can assist you in resolving any issue related to Shopify SEO. Appco Software – Shopify SEO experts can help you fix all technical SEO issues, speeding up your store website.
8) Organize All Your Store Tracking Codes with Google Tag Manager –
Typically, you add separate tracking codes for various purposes like Google Analytics, AdWords conversions, goals, remarketing tags, etc., on your end, or you send it to the developer. This process will take time and eventually slow down the overall store performance. With the help of Google Tag Manager, your tags are stored in one place. Contact Appco Software for Shopify conversion rate optimization services and increase your store’s conversion.
9) Use Hero Layout in Shopify Instead of Using Sliders –
Sliders have been popular for a while, and people typically add 4-5 high-quality images to the slider, which increases the overall load time of the store. Sliders/ Carousels are bad for SEO, Not for mobile, and Sliders/Carousels Annoy Users and Reduce Visibility. Instead of a slider in Shopify, use a single, high-quality Hero Layout image with a clear call to action to increase your store conversion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, optimizing your Shopify store’s performance is crucial for a seamless online shopping experience and business success. With millions using Shopify, implementing speed optimization strategies becomes paramount. From leveraging tools like PageSpeed Insights and AMP to compressing images and reducing HTTP requests, these steps enhance loading speed and overall user satisfaction.
Choosing a fast and responsive Shopify theme, minimizing app usage, and organizing tracking codes with Google Tag Manager further contribute to a streamlined website. Addressing issues like redirects and broken links is essential for avoiding performance hiccups.
Appco Software stands ready to elevate your Shopify store’s performance. Our experienced team offers theme customization, app management, and SEO expertise, ensuring your online presence is not only efficient but also tailored for growth. Embrace Hero Layouts instead of sliders to enhance both mobile and desktop experiences, ultimately boosting your store’s conversion rates.
By implementing these strategies and partnering with Appco Software, your Shopify store can provide a seamless, fast, and enjoyable shopping experience, fostering customer loyalty and maximizing revenue opportunities. Elevate your online business with optimized speed, functionality, and a user-centric approach.