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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Maximizing Site Speed: Why It Matters and How to Achieve It

Website speed isn’t just a technical detail—it’s a critical factor for user experience, SEO, and overall site performance. As I’ve said before, a slow-loading site can frustrate visitors, leading to higher bounce rates and lower conversions. Search engines prioritize fast websites in search rankings which means a sluggish site could hurt your visibility online (i.e. search engine rankings). It’s not really hyperbole to say that a few seconds can make the difference between retaining a customer or losing them.

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Improving your site’s speed can involve various strategies, from optimizing images and minimizing code to leveraging content delivery networks (CDNs) that serve content quickly across regions. Mobile optimization is especially crucial, given the high percentage of users accessing websites via smartphones. And let’s not forget the amount of media any given page might have. That includes all those analytics scripts marketers love to sell website owners on—add enough of them to your site and you’ll see your site slow down.

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If you're unsure about your website's performance or want to explore ways to boost its speed, get in touch! Book a call with me here and and let’s make sure your visitors get the best possible experience from your website.

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FOOD FOR THOUGHT

How Accessibility Impacts Your Website and Business: Designing for All Users

Accessibility has been on my mind a lot, and for good reason: accessibility is about ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, can navigate and interact with your website. This includes individuals with visual impairments, hearing loss, motor disabilities, and cognitive challenges. But here’s the kicker a lot of people forget: an accessible site means it’s easy to use for everyone the same way a wheelchair ramp can be used by anyone.

In addition to standards compliance (like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) and user experience, accessibility can significantly impact your business’s bottom line. A more inclusive website attracts a wider audience, which can lead to increased traffic and higher conversion rates. Moreover, businesses that prioritize accessibility demonstrate a commitment to social responsibility, fostering goodwill and loyalty among customers who value inclusivity. I mean, that’s not a bad thing as far as I’m concerned!

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If you’re interested in learning more about making your website accessible or would like to schedule an accessibility audit, don’t hesitate to reach out!

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LINKS & HIGHLIGHTS

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​PDFs and climate change​

Got a lot of PDFs on your website? You might want to re-think them and have them converted to webpages—they can emit a ton of CO2.

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​Microsoft taps Three Mile Island nuclear plant to power AI​

The tech giant signed a major deal with nuclear plant operator Constellation Energy to buy power for its data centers from the energy company's Three Mile Island Unit 1 nuclear plant.

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​The messy WordPress drama, explained​

WordPress cofounder Matt Mullenweg is going after a rival hosting firm he says is ‘strip-mining the WordPress ecosystem.’

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​The latest on the WordPress fight over trademarks and open source​

A timeline of events on the WordPress / WPEngine saga.