Google and other search engines put a premium on sites that load quickly. It’s a signal of site quality and sites that move quickly are rewarded in the rankings. Having a fast site not only provides a superior user experience, it also positively impacts SEO.
Implement fast hosting.
As the title reflects, fast hosting involves using a site host that provides the server and computing power needed to support fast page loads during normal traffic times and the capacity to scale during busy seasons.
Minimize HTTP requests.
Scripts and plugins may be useful at times, but they come with a cost. The hit to site speed means that HTTP requests should be kept to a minimum.
Use one CSS stylesheet.
Using multiple CSS stylesheets creates confusion, for developers, users and site engines. Sticking a single, unified template creates a consistent experience and avoids hits to loading time.
Compress your image files.
Don’t resize images through code, resize them natively. Having images that are optimized for web (don’t forget alt text) use keeps file sizes at a minimum and means fewer bytes need to load.
Minify your site’s code.
Minify means to reduce unnecessary or redundant data that only serves to slow your site down. Striping away code that serves no purpose streamlines site load times.
Eliminate redirects.
Older websites with legacy changes may be weighed down by a steady stream of redirects. Having them in place for a few months is fine, but without routine maintenance to remove older redirects, they can become burdensome.