How to optimise the load speed of Shopify website

In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, website speed is a critical factor that can make or break your e-commerce business.

If your Shopify store is slow, not only will your bounce rate increase, but you’ll also risk losing potential sales. In fact, studies from Akamai show that even a one-second delay in page load time can reduce conversions by up to 7%. 

Keep reading to discover actionable tips on optimising the load speed of your Shopify website to enhance user experience and boost your search engine rankings.

Why Shopify speed matters

Speed is a ranking factor for Google and directly impacts your user experience and conversion rate. A fast-loading Shopify store can lead to:

• Higher search engine rankings
• Lower bounce rates
• Increased user engagement
• Better overall conversion rates

How to check your page load speed

A reliable tool to measure load speed is PageSpeed Insights. This free tool from Google evaluates your Shopify store’s performance on both mobile and desktop, highlighting differences between the two and pinpointing elements that may be slowing down your site. 

By regularly checking your speed scores, you can track improvements over time and make data-driven decisions for your optimisation efforts.

With that in mind, let’s dive into some proven strategies for speeding up your Shopify store.

1. Optimise images

Images often take up a significant amount of bandwidth, making them one of the biggest culprits for slow load times. Here’s how to optimise them:

• Compress images: Use tools like TinyPNG or Shopify’s built-in image optimisation
• Use the right format: Stick to JPEG for photos and PNG for graphics with fewer colours.
• Lazy loading: Implement lazy loading so images load only when they are about to come into view, improving initial load speed.

2. Minimise apps and plugins

While apps can enhance functionality, they can also slow down your website. To keep your Shopify store running smoothly:

• Audit your apps: Identify apps that are no longer necessary or provide minimal value and uninstall them.
• Use lightweight apps: Choose apps that are optimised for speed and don’t add too much bloat.
• Disable app features: Turn off unnecessary features within apps that you don’t need for every page.

3. Utilise a content delivery network (CDN)

Shopify uses a built-in CDN, but you can take additional steps to maximise its efficiency:

• Leverage the CDN: Ensure your media files and scripts are delivered via Shopify’s CDN. This helps distribute content across various geographical locations, reducing load times for users around the world.

4. Minify CSS and JavaScript

Minification refers to removing unnecessary characters (like spaces and line breaks) from your CSS and JavaScript files. Here’s how you can do it:

• Use Shopify apps: Apps like Minifier or Speed Boostr can help you minify your store’s CSS and JavaScript files.
• Inline critical CSS: Inline only the necessary CSS for above-the-fold content to render faster while deferring non-essential CSS.
• Defer JavaScript: Delay the execution of non-critical JavaScript until after the main content has loaded.

5. Optimise Shopify theme

The theme you choose for your Shopify store can significantly affect your load speed. A custom or poorly coded theme may look good, but it can slow your site down. To optimise your theme:

• Choose a lightweight theme: Shopify’s free themes like Debut or Dawn are optimised for performance.
• Remove unnecessary features: If your theme includes features you aren’t using, such as sliders or animations, consider removing them to reduce load time.
• Regularly update your theme: Ensure your theme is up to date to benefit from the latest performance improvements.

6. Enable browser caching

Browser caching stores certain files locally on users’ devices, so when they visit your site again, these elements don’t need to be reloaded. While Shopify automatically caches some content, you can further optimise this by:

• Using caching apps: Consider apps like Hyperspeed that extend Shopify’s default caching capabilities.
• Set longer expiry times: Ensure that static resources like images and CSS files have long expiration dates to minimise repeat requests.

7. Reduce redirects

Excessive redirects can cause unnecessary server requests, slowing down your site. To avoid this:

• Minimise 301 redirects: Ensure that only essential redirects are in place.
• Fix broken links: Regularly audit your store for broken links and update them to avoid redirect chains.

Contact the Paramount Digital experts

A fast-loading Shopify website is crucial for providing a seamless shopping experience and improving your SEO rankings.

Need help speeding up your Shopify website? At Paramount Digital, our team of experts can optimise your e-commerce site to ensure it performs at its best.

Contact us today to discuss how we can help boost your site’s speed and conversions. Give us a call today on 01744 747 474 or email us at marketing@paramountdigital.co.uk and we’ll get back to you shortly.