Do you know the loading speed of your Shopify store? You should, because it has a huge impact on your success in e-commerce. In this article, I'll explain why page speed in Shopify is so important, the reasons why your site is slow and what you can do to improve your website speed.
Why is loading speed so important?
The loading speed of your Shopify store is so important because customers expect a fast-loading website. If the page loads too slowly, users become impatient. They either suspect an error or doubt your professionalism. The result - high bounce rates and low conversion rates.
Google was able to analyze that long loading times increase the bounce rate by up to 123%. Read more
Also interesting, in 2006 Amazon found out through a study that 100ms longer loading times cost Amazon 1% of its sales. Read more
2006 may be long gone, but the demands placed on webshops in 2006 are increasing. Page speed is one of the main factors by which customers evaluate a website.
In addition, there is another factor that gives pagespeed even more importance. Loading times are a ranking factor for Google. Better pagespeed therefore potentially leads to better SEO rankings.
As you can see, you should urgently look into the page speed of your Shopify store. That's why I'd like to recommend a few tools that you can use to check the pagespeed of your site.
How can Shopify Pagespeed be measured?
There are several free tools on the internet to check the loading speed of your website. Here are the tools we also use at Golden Web Age to evaluate the loading time.
Google Pagespeed Insights
With the Google Pagespeed Insights you get information about the Core Web Vitals of your site. These are parameters defined by Google that evaluate the user-friendliness of your site.
The evaluation is carried out in three levels: Poor, Worthy of Improvement and Good. The different parameters have different weightings. You also receive an overall assessment, but I recommend aiming for the green zone for each parameter.
The performance of your Core Web Vitals is a decisive factor for your SEO rankings.
Here is an overview of the Core Web Vitals:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how long it takes for the largest visible element of a page to load. A fast LCP (less than 2.5 seconds) ensures that users do not have to wait long for the main content.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP) evaluates how quickly a website responds to user interactions such as clicks or taps. A good INP value is less than 200 milliseconds, as a delayed response severely impairs the user experience.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measures how much content shifts unexpectedly during loading. A low CLS value (below 0.1) means a stable display without disruptive layout shifts.
First Contentful Paint (FCP) indicates when the first visible element of a page appears. A fast FCP (less than 1.8 seconds) improves the first impression, as users immediately see that the page is loading.
Time to First Byte (TTFB) measures the time until the server sends the first response to the browser. A low TTFB value (under 800 milliseconds) means a fast server response and contributes to an overall better loading time.
Webpagetest.org
With Webpagetest.org you can check your loading times precisely. You also get a waterfall diagram here, with which you can see exactly when which scripts are loaded and how much they contribute to the loading time.
This way, you can see where potential savings are hidden and then fix them. But what factors are there that can have a negative impact on Shopify's pagespeed? Let's take a look at that now.
Pingdom
Also the Pingdom Website Speed Test also provides a good overview of the loading time of your website. It can be used in addition to the other tools, as it is intuitive to use, especially for beginners.
What factors influence Shopify speed?
Before you can optimize the loading times of your Shopify store, you should know which factors influence them. Since Shopify, unlike WordPress, is not open source, you have less influence here. The good news is that Shopify is aware of the importance of loading time and already provides a good basic framework for this. Let's look at the things you can influence.
Pictures
Images are the most important factor for the pagespeed of your Shopify pages, as the file size can be very large. It is also important to find a good compromise between good image quality and fast loading times. As these two properties are in competition with each other.
Our experience shows that online stores with high page speed convert better than stores that rely on extremely high-resolution images.
Apps
Every app makes your Shopify store slower. It is therefore important to carefully consider whether the function is really essential for your online store before installing each app.
Scripts
Scripts control the logic and function of your website, but sometimes unused scripts creep into your code. Which then no longer fulfill any function but are still loaded.
Themes
Most Shopify themes are standardized, which means that they come with various functions to appeal to as many merchants as possible. In practice, however, you will not use all of these functions. Nevertheless, these functions are loaded by your template. You should therefore make sure that you use a template that is optimized for loading times.
Concrete steps to optimize page speed
Now you know the biggest factors influencing your loading time, next I'll show you optimization measures that will make your Shopify store faster.
Optimize your images
As already mentioned, images are often the biggest factor when it comes to page speed.
Above all, you should use the correct pixel width here. Images are measured in pixels in width and height, so when you upload them to your website, the pixel width of the image should correspond to the pixel width in which the image is displayed on your website. This prevents images from being uploaded far too large and then only being displayed in small size.
However, as screen sizes vary, you should use a responsive theme. This will load a different image depending on the device size.
You should also compress all your images, so you can reduce the file size of the images again without losing too much quality. For this I can recommend kraken.io or TinyPNG to reduce the file size of your images.
For all Photoshop users, there is the "save for web" function, which you can also use to compress your images.
Sort out apps
Next, you should consider whether there are any apps that you don't absolutely need. As a rule of thumb, you should stick to fewer than 10 installed apps if possible.
Sometimes app functions can also be solved relatively easily using code in the template, which may allow you to save on some apps.
It may be worth hiring a Shopify expert who can code the pagespeed-optimized functions for you.
Check Shopify Theme
Check whether your Shopify theme is optimized for loading time. If this is not the case, consider switching to an optimized theme. A custom theme that was created with a focus on pagespeed works best. Alternatively, your theme can also be customized afterwards.
Optimize CSS and JavaScript
Check which CSS and JavaScript files you need and which you can remove. Often residues from previously used apps remain in your code, which then slow down your online store.
The waterfall diagram allows you to recognize any unused scripts. However, you should already have some programming experience so as not to jeopardize the function of the store.
Experienced Shopify developers can support you here and get even more speed out of it.
Avoid redirects
Redirects also increase your loading times, try to avoid unnecessary redirects. These cannot be completely prevented, but it is always better to adjust the corresponding links on the website instead of setting up a redirect.
Conclusion - Pagespeed optimization is essential for Shopify stores
Studies show a clear picture: the loading speed of your Shopify store directly influences your conversion rate. This opens up opportunities to increase your sales. With the right tools, you can determine where there is still room for improvement.
If you need help with the implementation, our experts can help you analyze and improve your Shopify speed. As a Shopify agency we specialize in conversion rate and pagespeed-optimized web design and can offer you our expertise in this area. If you still have questions about Shopify pagespeed, please arrange a no-obligation consultation.
FAQ about Shopify Pagespeed
Why is the loading speed of my Shopify store so important?
The loading speed of your Shopify store is crucial because it directly influences the conversion rate, Google ranking and user experience. Slow stores lead to higher bounce rates, as customers are often impatient and quickly switch to a competitor. Google also favors fast websites and rewards them with better rankings in the search results. A shorter loading time can therefore have a positive impact on both sales and organic traffic.
What is Pagespeed Optimization for Shopify?
Pagespeedoptimization for Shopify refers to the process of improving the loading times andloading speed of a Shopify store. BetterShopify speed leads to a better user experience and can increase the conversion rate. Optimization includes various techniques such as compressing files, using lazy loading and minimizing JavaScript and CSS.
How can I check the page speed for my Shopify store?
To check the page speed for your Shopify store, you can use tools such as Google Pagespeed Insights. Thistool analyzes theloading time of your website and gives you aspeed report with recommendations foroptimization. All you have to do is enter the URL of your online store and thetool will provide you with a detailed analysis.
What loading time is considered good for a Shopify store?
A good loading time for a Shopify store is ideally under 2 seconds to ensure an optimal user experience. Stores that load in under 3 seconds usually still have acceptable conversion rates. However, as soon as the loading time exceeds 3 seconds, the probability of bouncing increases dramatically. The store should load quickly on mobile devices in particular, as mobile users are often more impatient than desktop users.
How do I optimize images for a faster loading time?
Use the WebP format as it offers smaller file sizes with the same quality. Make sure that images are no larger than 2000px wide to avoid unnecessary data. Activate lazy loading so that images are only loaded when they are visible. In addition, you should compress the images with tools such as TinyPNG or kraken.io to further reduce the loading time.
Luke Schmidt
Senior SEO Consultant
As an SEO expert and content marketing manager, Lukas successfully increases the visibility of our clients in Google. He shares his in-depth knowledge of online marketing, SEO, e-commerce and Shopify on the Golden Web Age blog.
