By now, you must have heard the news. Google updated its core web vitals. In other words, they have a new list of priorities. You guessed it right; it all borders around Shopify site speed. It is nothing entirely different from what we have been focusing on in the past.
So, what really is different? The Google core web vitals update affects not just your rankings; it determines how best to go about Shopify site speed optimization.
Increasing your Shopify site speed is good, but targeting Shopify speed optimization towards the new Google core web vitals will get you better results in less time.
In this article, we’ll be sharing 9 tips to make Google love your Shopify page.
What Is Wrong With My Shopify Site Speed?
Chances are that you do not even know or monitor your Shopify site speed. Let us start with that.
You can get a page speed report by using tools such as PageSpeed Insights and TestMyStoreSpeed.com. These apps will crawl through your store and provide you with a report of your speed score and issues with your site speed. However, if you cannot interpret the report, then it is of no use.
If your Shopify site speed report shows the following, then it is time to call in an expert Shopify speed optimization agency:
- Lots of red and yellow icons: these are clear danger signs. These icons show that a serious problem or mishap is eating up your site speed. Most times, the problem is quite obvious and easy to deal with.
- Slow loading time: this is one factor that largely affects Google rankings and conversion rates. According to Google, 53% of online shoppers will abandon a site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. Having a slow-loading page will increase your bounce rates.
As opposed to Shopify’s speed report, which judges Shopify site speed by comparing similar sites, PageSpeed ranks webpages on a scale of 100. An ideal Shopify speed optimization agency such as EcomExperts should shoot your webpage into the 80s.
Should I Be Bothered About My Shopify Site Speed?
You may be considering skipping Shopify site speed optimization because you have high-quality images and awesome copies. Here’s what every merchant should do; weigh the pros and the cons.
Your primary objective is to make sales. So whatever convinces your customers to buy from you should be of priority. That said, here are some advantages of Shopify speed optimization;
- Increased conversions: according to research, pages that loaded in 2.4seconds received a conversion rate of 1.9%, while those that loaded in 3.3 seconds received 1.5%. Obviously, the longer it takes your page to load, the less likely it is to make sales.
- Optimizes SEO: when it comes to gathering traffic, we all look up to SEO. What Shopify speed optimization does in combination with SEO is that it makes your article easier to fetch, thus increasing traffic and the chances of sales.
- Excellent PR: investing in Shopify speed optimization pays off in leaps and bounds. It helps you get ahead of your competitors. Furthermore, when Shopify releases its speed report, it offers a comparison against other similar stores. A high Shopify score will look good for you and your company.
Tips for Passing Google Core Web Vitals Assessment
Sadly, it is not enough to focus on Shopify site speed optimization. The Google Core Web Vitals ought to guide you on how best to increase your Google rankings.
Since it is practically impossible to get a good score on the Core Web Vitals Assessment while having a subpar Shopify site speed, the test is an excellent way to gauge your site’s performance and improve the overall page user experience.
The Google Core Web Vitals update featured three important metrics that will determine page rankings;
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
- FIRST Input Delay (FID)
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Based on the above, here are a few ways to improve your page ranking on Google bypassing their assessment.
Large Contentful Paint (LCP)
- Remove large page elements: since Google is interested in the period between when a user clicks on your link to when they can interact with your site, it is vital that you consider removing bulky page elements that unnecessarily drag your site.
- Remove unnecessary third-party scripts: third-party scripts will load independently of your main scripts, increasing the time it takes to get a full load. It may be impossible to be totally rid of third-party scripts. Take out the most redundant ones first.
- Apply lazy loading: With lazy loading, you get a page that “appears” to have fully loaded. The over-the-fold content loads first, and the rest comes when the user scrolls.
First Input Delay (FID)
- Reduce requests; the more permission your site has to ask for, the slower it will be. Keep your site requests lower than 90 to get a high FID score.
- Compress Javascripts; these scripts are known to bulk up your code. Uncompressed scripts will make interaction difficult.
- Work on your main thread; cut off some excesses from your main thread by reducing complexities, minifying, and deferring CSS.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
- Always add elements below the fold; if you aim for visual stability, insert new content below older ones, not before. By doing this, you prevent your page from shifting and re-organizing itself each time it loads.
- Preset the attributes for your media; this is a step that must be carried out before the image is uploaded, not before. By presetting the size of your images, they load into a preserved space, instead of loading in one size, then minimizing into another.
- Prepare for ads; by judiciously calculating and marking out spots for every element on your page, you can avoid a low CLS score.
Become one of the fastest Shopify stores with EcomExperts. EcomExperts is an expert Shopify site speed optimization agency that specializes in improving site speed ensuring Shopify stores remain lightning fast. Get ahead above the rest by booking a free consultation with us today.