How to Optimise Site Speed

Slow sites = lost money and Google penalties.

A potential customer clicks on your website. They’re ready to buy. But your site takes more than 5 seconds to load. In that tiny window, they’ve tapped the back button, clicked on your competitor’s link, and you’ve lost them—forever.

That’s not a dramatic exaggeration.

According to Google, if your page takes more than 3 seconds to load, 53% of mobile users will leave.

For a startup fighting for every customer, those lost seconds are lethal.

And the worst part? Slow site speed quietly kills your SEO rankings, advertising ROI, and conversion rates—without you even realising.

So how do you optimise your site speed so you don’t bleed customers and revenue.

If they finds your site slow, you pay the price in lost traffic and sales.

What Is Site Speed?

Site speed is the time it takes for your website to load and become usable for visitors. It’s measured in seconds, but its impact on your business is massive.

Here’s what this includes:

• Page load time – How long before all elements are visible and functional

  
  

• Time to First Byte (TTFB) – How quickly your server responds

  
  

• Core Web Vitals – Google’s user experience metrics

Each of these affects how users (and Google) judge your site. If they find it slow, you pay the price in lost traffic and sales.

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Why It Matters

Speed Equals Revenue

Amazon found that every 100ms delay cost them 1% in sales. That’s billions for them—hundreds or thousands for you.

SEO Ranking Power

Google uses site speed as a ranking factor. Slow sites sink in search results, no matter how good your content is.

Ad Performance & Cost

If your landing page is slow, ad platforms like Google Ads penalise you with higher

CPCs and lower quality scores.

User Trust & Brand Perception

A slow site feels outdated, unsafe, and unprofessional. People associate speed with credibility.

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What You’ll Need Before You Start

• Website hosting login details

  
  

• Access to your CMS (e.g. WordPress, Wix, Shopify)

  
  

• Admin access to Google Analytics & Google Search Console

  
  

• Page speed testing tools (Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, Pingdom)

  
  

• Your website’s image/media library

Having these ready upfront will save you hours later and reduce mistakes.

Your site's speed will impact your revenue!

How to Optimise Site Speed:

Step-by-Step

Step 1: Test Your Current Speed

Run your site through Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix. 

Mentor Tip: 

Record your baseline numbers before making changes. 

Result: A clear performance scorecard to track improvements.

Step 2: Choose Faster Hosting

If your hosting is slow, everything else is a band-aid. Upgrade to a reputable Australian or global provider with SSD servers and high uptime. 

Warning: Cheap hosting is slow hosting. Don’t save $5/month and lose customers. 

Result: Faster server response and consistent uptime.

Step 3: Optimise Images

Compress large images with tools like TinyPNG or ShortPixel. Use WebP format where possible.

Mentor Tip: 

Canva Pro now exports in WebP. 

Result: Reduced page size without losing quality.

Step 4: Enable Browser Caching

Let visitors’ browsers store static files locally for faster repeat visits. 

Result: Returning visitors see pages load almost instantly.

Step 5: Minify CSS, JavaScript & HTML

Remove unnecessary characters and spaces from code using tools like Autoptimize (WordPress) or built-in CMS options. 

Result: Leaner code loads quicker.

Step 6: Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A CDN stores your site’s files on multiple global servers, reducing distance between user and data. 

Result: Faster load times worldwide.

Step 7: Reduce Plugins & Third-Party Scripts

Deactivate or delete plugins you don’t need. Too many scripts = slow site. 

Result: Less bloat, faster execution.

Step 8: Optimise Mobile Performance

Use responsive design and test on real devices. Mobile users are most sensitive to speed. 

Result: Improved conversions from mobile traffic.

Step 9: Monitor Core Web Vitals

Check Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) in Search Console of your website software. 

Result: Better user experience and SEO alignment.

Download our Website SEO Audit & Checklist which has a Core Web Vitals Guide to review these tech issues, step by step.

Step 10: Ongoing Monitoring

Re-test your site monthly and after major updates. 

Result: Consistent high performance without surprises.

Slow sites sink in search results, no matter how good your content is.

What It Costs & How Long It Takes

Here’s what to budget for:

• Hosting upgrade: $15–$40/month

• Image optimisation tools: $0–$15/month

• CDN: $0–$20/month

• Developer time (if needed): $50–$150/hour

Costs can vary, but these figures will give you a reliable starting point.

Expect the initial optimisation to take 2–8 hours, depending on site size.

DIY could be any where from double to triple the hours, depending on experience.

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Common Mistakes Founders Make

Ignoring mobile speed 

Mobile is now the primary source of traffic—don’t optimise only for desktop.

Using oversized images 

Uploading 5MB hero images is like running a race in gumboots.

Too many plugins 

If you have 40 plugins, half are slowing you down.

No ongoing testing 

Optimising once is not enough. Site speed degrades over time.

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What to Do Right Now

✅ Need help? Want it done for you? — Book with Noize. We’ll audit, optimise, and maintain your site speed so you never lose customers again [Contact Noize.com.au]

✅ Get the full StartUp Deck — All 200+ strategies to build a business that runs faster, smoother, and smarter [theStartUpDeck.com]

COMING in 2026...

✅ Download the Website SEO Audit & Checklist — Record what assets have been optimised and how to help identify and fix speed killers. [Download from ProDesk.com]

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The Bottom Line

Site speed isn’t a “tech issue”—it’s a revenue issue. A fast site gets more visitors, higher rankings, and more sales. 

Aim for under 3 seconds for full load, under 2 seconds for key content.

FAQs

What is a good site speed? 

Under 3 seconds for full load, under 2 seconds for key content.

How often should I test site speed? 

At least monthly or after major updates.

Do I need a developer? 

Not always—many fixes are DIY. But complex issues may need a pro.

Will a CDN help in Australia? 

Yes, especially if you have overseas traffic.

Can site speed affect SEO?

Absolutely. Google has confirmed it as a ranking factor.