Magento 2, as you might know, is full of features. The platform has the means to provide unique customizable experiences for different buyers, meaning all websites are special in their own ways.
Some of the features I particularly enjoy on Magento include:
- ElastiSearch, which is now available on Magento 2.3 and newer versions
- Repeat customers have access to a quicker checkout process
- You can now personalize a user experience to specific industries
However, despite the good intentions behind the release of these features, they tend to slow down a website and the same happens on Magento. At first glance, it is hardly worrying to wait a few extra seconds for a page to load.
However, in the grand scheme of things, merchants will come to find that the conversion rate of an e-commerce store largely depends on the speed of the website load time. Studies show that a visitor is 40% more likely to exit a website if it takes more than three seconds to boot.
In this post, I will provide quick tips you can implement on your store to reduce server response time.
- Get A Good Magento Hosting Provider
One of the major reasons for a slow Magento website is the hosting service. Once the traffic to your website increases, it gets hard for the site to operate at peak performance on a cheap hosting plan. Magento is a complex platform that requires the best plugins and especially a high hosting provider.
We recommend you invest in a premium plan with a certified USA Magento Hosting service provider to speed up your web store.
You can also host your store on a Virtual Private Server. A major benefit of this process is more flexibility in managing your server. VPS hosted sites are not dependent on audience or traffic. So, you can use as much server space as you like.
Whether you choose VPS hosting or Magento certified hosting, it is essential to compare both options and pick the right hosting plan that guarantees the most server space. Magento certified hosting has an edge because you can have the Magento developers work on the implementation, installation, and maintenance on your behalf.
- Minify Your Programming
Combining and minimizing your CSS and JavaScript files helps you create a faster load time for your Magento website. If you’re not tech-savvy, it’s best you hire Certified Magento Agency to help you work on this.
However, If you want to try your hands at it, follow the steps below:
- Click on the Magento Admin Panel and choose “System”
- Navigate through System > Configuration > Advanced > Developer
- Browse through CSS and JavaScript settings
- Under the “Merge JavaScript Files” tab, switch from “No” to “Yes”
- Repeat the same for “Merge CSS files”
- Save changes
After you complete this process, the CSS and JavaScript files will merge to reduce the number of requests on your website. Sites that run on HTML files simply need a 3rd party extension.
- Organize Your Magento Database
A crucial point to boost the speed of your Magento store is to keep your web database optimized. This involves maintaining the following:
Indexes: Indexes are used to boost MySQL queries. Magento regularly updates indexes for products added to the store, on default. However, there are cases where you need to manually update a product index. I have highlighted the steps below:
- Go to System > Index Management
- Tick all the indexes you want to update and click on “Reindex Data” from the dropdown menu, and then click on “Submit.”
Logs: Your products, procedures, and tables should be added to the correct groups. Old logs should be deleted frequently to avoid the possibility of a longer loading site. You can clean up your database logs by;
- Browse through to Stores > Configuration > Advanced > System > Bulk Actions
- Choose the number of days interval under the “Days Saved in Log” column
- Choose “Save Config.”
You can expect your site to load faster once you are done with the above configurations.
Conclusion
A faster site than that of your competitors o my means good things. Even more than a beautifully looking storefront, a fast loading site is more important to the success of your sales. You can create a wholesome shopping experience for users by speeding up your Magento store.
- Also, remember the basics:
- Optimize your site images
- Employ a good hosting plan
- Make sure your codes are up to date
- Conduct an extension audit
- Keep your database organize
If these steps price to be too difficult for the first time of asking, you can contact a professional Magento web development company to cater to your backend needs. I hope you have learned a lot from this self-help guide.
What tricks do you want to share with the Magento community that has helped your store? Be sure to drop your advice and opinions in the comment box below. I appreciate them! Till next time!
Leave Comment