Consumers Will Quickly Abandon Slow Websites - New Survey from Compuware Gomez
You've got between 1 and 5 seconds to deliver your site and your message to consumers.
An independent survey, “When Seconds Count,” was conducted for Gomez, the web performance division of Compuware Corporation, by Equation Research and queried 1,004 web and mobile users. What they learned from the study isn't all that surprising: Technical bells and whistles that slow down page load may be doing you more harm than good.
Speed makes a difference on websites:
A third of all Web users are also using mobile devices and more than half expect sites to load as fast or faster than on their computers. “When web users encounter web or mobile site performance problems, their patience and loyalty run thin,” said Matt Poepsel, vice president of performance strategies at Gomez.
Don't bury the lead either.
Certainly, a lot of the burden falls on the website developer to find ways to incorporate useful information and features such as interactivity, photos, video and more without slowing down load times. But content creators also need to be wary of filling pages with unnecessary elements that don't help get the message delivered quickly.
A few things you can look for:
We live in a microwave world. Twenty seconds is now a long time to wait for a hot dog. And 6 seconds is now more time than the average website visitor is going to give you to present your page and deliver your message. Everything on your pages should have a reason for being there and nothing on your page should unnecessarily slow page load.
An independent survey, “When Seconds Count,” was conducted for Gomez, the web performance division of Compuware Corporation, by Equation Research and queried 1,004 web and mobile users. What they learned from the study isn't all that surprising: Technical bells and whistles that slow down page load may be doing you more harm than good.
Speed makes a difference on websites:
- Nearly one-third (32 percent) of consumers will start abandoning slow sites between one and five seconds.
- 84 percent are only willing to try a slow performing website a few times before giving up.
- 39 percent say speed is more important than functionality for most websites, while only one in five rank greater site functionality as more important.
A third of all Web users are also using mobile devices and more than half expect sites to load as fast or faster than on their computers. “When web users encounter web or mobile site performance problems, their patience and loyalty run thin,” said Matt Poepsel, vice president of performance strategies at Gomez.
- More than a third (37 percent) said they would not return to a slow site, and 27 percent would likely jump to a competitor’s site.
Don't bury the lead either.
Certainly, a lot of the burden falls on the website developer to find ways to incorporate useful information and features such as interactivity, photos, video and more without slowing down load times. But content creators also need to be wary of filling pages with unnecessary elements that don't help get the message delivered quickly.
A few things you can look for:
- Large photos that do not enhance your message. A great photo can make a huge difference. Images communicate ideas quickly and make an impression. But the wrong photo has the opposite effect. And the wrong photo poorly optimized for Web performance can drive people away.
- Unnecessary Flash elements that take time to load and don't directly enhance the user's experience. These elements need to help the user get what they are looking for faster and more simply. If they do not, then they are just in the way.
- Clarity trumps persuasion on a website. Long, persuasive sales copy, too many choices, vague or conflicting messages, unrelated or irrelevant photos and pointless Flash animations all add to page load and consumer confusion. With 1 to 5 seconds, your message needs to be clear and easy to see.
- Video is another tool that can be a real asset or a real nightmare. Be sure the video you add is worth the extra load time.
- Evaluate carefully what belongs on landing pages and what can be moved to linked pages. Perhaps a video or slide show doesn't need to be on the landing page but can be linked to for those visitors interested.
We live in a microwave world. Twenty seconds is now a long time to wait for a hot dog. And 6 seconds is now more time than the average website visitor is going to give you to present your page and deliver your message. Everything on your pages should have a reason for being there and nothing on your page should unnecessarily slow page load.
Google Instant - What Does It Mean for Your Website?
Google launched Google Instant Search yesterday. Now when you start to type your search query, Google anticipates what you might want and begins to show popular results from the first letter typed - called "predicted query." Keep typing and the results dynamically update. What does Google Instant mean for Webmasters, SEOs and advertisers?
Google Instant Means Faster, Smarter Results for the Searcher
Once you get used to this, it's hard to imagine not having it. Searches are fast, and added to personalization, history and location, results are generally pretty smart and relevant to the searcher. It makes it easy to see the direction your query is taking and adjust it as you go.
Some quick stats from Google:
Don't like Google Instant?
If you don't like it, you can disable it by clicking the link next to the search box on any search results page, or by visiting your Preferences page. And as always, you can use SafeSearch to filter out explicit content, and parents can lock SafeSearch to the strict setting. In addition, auto-complete excludes certain terms related to pornography, violence and hate speech.
How Will Google Instant Affect AdWords Advertisers
There is no effect on cost since Google gets paid only for the click. However, most companies use impressions as an important factor in developing and moderating campaign performance. And the big change in Google Instant is in what defines an impression.
Google's definition of impression:
When someone searches using Google Instant, ad impressions are counted in these situations:
Google Instant for Webmasters and SEOs
What Happened to the Long Tail?
Some critics are calling Google Instant the death of search engine optimization and traditional search rankings, while others are saying the new feature may be a boon for some. Search engine optimization has already been getting more complex with local search, history and general customization all adding layers.
The popular will get more popular
As always, the sites with the best content and the best reputation and popularity are going to show up first. Just type "A" into your search field -- Amazon, AOL, Apple. And sites that already rank well for short search strings could pick up additional coverage since their sites are going to show, even if briefly, as searchers type in longer search strings. Sites that rank well for short search strings will be seen more often, and will be clicked more often. Google Instant could entice more users to follow suggestions more often. The new layout also pushes more results below the fold. So there will be fewer top spots and they will be more valuable.
Google Instant, Keyword Research and the Long-tail
Keyword research is nothing new. Without it, you're guessing. Google Instant doesn't change that. But, now that results are displayed after typing a single letter, digging to find the search phrases that are likely to be suggested when searchers are looking for your site will be even more important.
The Long-tail Might Not be Dead, but ...
There is a definite possibility for sites to see a drop in rankings for pages optimized for long keyword strings in favor of those who are ranking highly with one or two keywords.
One response from Google
“As with all changes to search, there will always be people who work to optimize their pages to fit the Google experience,” a spokesperson said. “But it's important to note that there are no ranking changes with this enhancement and as always we continue to focus on showing users high-quality, relevant queries and search results.”
Some things you can do now with Google Instant.
If you're trying to get a clear picture of instant results, disable search personalization. That way, you will see results that are not modified by your own search history.
1- Sign in to your Google account.
2- Click Settings > Account Settings, in the upper right.
3- Choose Web History from the products section.
4- Clear your Web history (this will also pause it).
Now search for your company, product or service and watch the results. Try various search terms, try adding a space at the end. You'll not only get popular keyword ideas, but also you'll see who is going to be showing up ahead of you in searches now. This could present new opportunities for linking or help you determine new content that is needed on your own site.
As always, the game is constantly changing. Optimizing your site is an ongoing process for search, usability and effectiveness. And as always, the best sites with the best content and best usability will rank the best.
Google Instant Means Faster, Smarter Results for the Searcher
Once you get used to this, it's hard to imagine not having it. Searches are fast, and added to personalization, history and location, results are generally pretty smart and relevant to the searcher. It makes it easy to see the direction your query is taking and adjust it as you go.
Some quick stats from Google:
- Before Google Instant, the typical searcher took more than 9 seconds to enter a search term, and we saw many examples of searches that took 30-90 seconds to type.
- Using Google Instant can save 2-5 seconds per search.
- If everyone uses Google Instant globally, we estimate this will save more than 3.5 billion seconds a day. That’s 11 hours saved every second.
- 15 new technologies contribute to Google Instant functionality.
If you don't like it, you can disable it by clicking the link next to the search box on any search results page, or by visiting your Preferences page. And as always, you can use SafeSearch to filter out explicit content, and parents can lock SafeSearch to the strict setting. In addition, auto-complete excludes certain terms related to pornography, violence and hate speech.
How Will Google Instant Affect AdWords Advertisers
There is no effect on cost since Google gets paid only for the click. However, most companies use impressions as an important factor in developing and moderating campaign performance. And the big change in Google Instant is in what defines an impression.
Google's definition of impression:
When someone searches using Google Instant, ad impressions are counted in these situations:
- The user begins to type a query on Google and clicks anywhere on the page (a search result, an ad, a spell correction, a related search).
- The user chooses a particular query by clicking the Search button, pressing Enter, or selecting one of the predicted queries.
- The user stops typing, and the results are displayed for a minimum of three seconds.
Google Instant for Webmasters and SEOs
What Happened to the Long Tail?
Some critics are calling Google Instant the death of search engine optimization and traditional search rankings, while others are saying the new feature may be a boon for some. Search engine optimization has already been getting more complex with local search, history and general customization all adding layers.
The popular will get more popular
As always, the sites with the best content and the best reputation and popularity are going to show up first. Just type "A" into your search field -- Amazon, AOL, Apple. And sites that already rank well for short search strings could pick up additional coverage since their sites are going to show, even if briefly, as searchers type in longer search strings. Sites that rank well for short search strings will be seen more often, and will be clicked more often. Google Instant could entice more users to follow suggestions more often. The new layout also pushes more results below the fold. So there will be fewer top spots and they will be more valuable.
Google Instant, Keyword Research and the Long-tail
Keyword research is nothing new. Without it, you're guessing. Google Instant doesn't change that. But, now that results are displayed after typing a single letter, digging to find the search phrases that are likely to be suggested when searchers are looking for your site will be even more important.
The Long-tail Might Not be Dead, but ...
There is a definite possibility for sites to see a drop in rankings for pages optimized for long keyword strings in favor of those who are ranking highly with one or two keywords.
One response from Google
“As with all changes to search, there will always be people who work to optimize their pages to fit the Google experience,” a spokesperson said. “But it's important to note that there are no ranking changes with this enhancement and as always we continue to focus on showing users high-quality, relevant queries and search results.”
Some things you can do now with Google Instant.
If you're trying to get a clear picture of instant results, disable search personalization. That way, you will see results that are not modified by your own search history.
1- Sign in to your Google account.
2- Click Settings > Account Settings, in the upper right.
3- Choose Web History from the products section.
4- Clear your Web history (this will also pause it).
Now search for your company, product or service and watch the results. Try various search terms, try adding a space at the end. You'll not only get popular keyword ideas, but also you'll see who is going to be showing up ahead of you in searches now. This could present new opportunities for linking or help you determine new content that is needed on your own site.
As always, the game is constantly changing. Optimizing your site is an ongoing process for search, usability and effectiveness. And as always, the best sites with the best content and best usability will rank the best.
Oh, How I Love Apple
Okay, this is another post with me fawning over Apple. But I can't help it. Yesterday, Steve Jobs made the latest announcements about product upgrades and new features. All good. But what really struck me were two things: design and focus.
Design
I can't think of another company, large or small, with as clear and sophisticated a design aesthetic as Apple. What the product looks like, how it is packaged, displayed, sold and used are not just afterthoughts, mechanisms for delivery, or even just marketing. Aesthetics is an important part of each Apple product and part of what makes it hard to duplicate.
If you watched the keynote, you saw a few of Apple's newest stores. Who else builds stores like that? How many Target stores have you visited that could possibly become part of the architectural culture of a community? How many Wal-Marts enhance the beauty of the shopping districts they are in?
Apple products have always been favorites with designers. Perhaps that's because designers understand the work that goes into and the benefits of good design. It's the difference between a good, workable product and a product that inspires and entertains and is a pleasure to use.
Focus
If you go to the Apple Store, right there in the top two rows of the center column is the entire product line of Apple - 13 products for music, TV, tablet, laptop and desktop. Focused. Coordinated. Powerful. There is not a single superfluous product in the lineup. That takes courage and confidence. Their ideas, their vision aren't watered down or weakened across dozens of products. They are focused and clear. No matter where you fit in that lineup, you get the complete Apple experience. And it's easy to yearn for one of each!
It's simple to talk about staying focused in product development and marketing. We all know it works. But it's hard to do in the face of competition. It's tempting to start adding things in hopes of expanding; and at that moment the vision has been compromised. Some companies can't seem to stop themselves from indulging in ever-expanding product offerings. Apple has certainly strayed into this territory in the past with bloated product lineups and confusing redundancy in computer models.
Today
But the focus at Apple today is remarkable. Everything -- and I mean everything from products, packaging, stores, displays, delivery, software, ads -- all drive toward the same aesthetic, the same vision. Is there any other company doing this today? If you have some good examples, please comment and share.
Read more about Apple and Steve Jobs:
Design
I can't think of another company, large or small, with as clear and sophisticated a design aesthetic as Apple. What the product looks like, how it is packaged, displayed, sold and used are not just afterthoughts, mechanisms for delivery, or even just marketing. Aesthetics is an important part of each Apple product and part of what makes it hard to duplicate.
If you watched the keynote, you saw a few of Apple's newest stores. Who else builds stores like that? How many Target stores have you visited that could possibly become part of the architectural culture of a community? How many Wal-Marts enhance the beauty of the shopping districts they are in?
Apple products have always been favorites with designers. Perhaps that's because designers understand the work that goes into and the benefits of good design. It's the difference between a good, workable product and a product that inspires and entertains and is a pleasure to use.
Focus
If you go to the Apple Store, right there in the top two rows of the center column is the entire product line of Apple - 13 products for music, TV, tablet, laptop and desktop. Focused. Coordinated. Powerful. There is not a single superfluous product in the lineup. That takes courage and confidence. Their ideas, their vision aren't watered down or weakened across dozens of products. They are focused and clear. No matter where you fit in that lineup, you get the complete Apple experience. And it's easy to yearn for one of each!
It's simple to talk about staying focused in product development and marketing. We all know it works. But it's hard to do in the face of competition. It's tempting to start adding things in hopes of expanding; and at that moment the vision has been compromised. Some companies can't seem to stop themselves from indulging in ever-expanding product offerings. Apple has certainly strayed into this territory in the past with bloated product lineups and confusing redundancy in computer models.
Today
But the focus at Apple today is remarkable. Everything -- and I mean everything from products, packaging, stores, displays, delivery, software, ads -- all drive toward the same aesthetic, the same vision. Is there any other company doing this today? If you have some good examples, please comment and share.
Read more about Apple and Steve Jobs:
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