WIX Page Load Times Best Practices.
If you are seeking for strategies on how to make your WIX website load faster, do not look any further!
You have come to the right place. In order to help you to figure out how to increase your WIX website speed and performance, we have put together a guide containing 14 tips for you to try.
Read carefully and start implementing these practices to cultivate your official online presence. Happy reading and good luck mastering the art of boosting your WIX-powered website speed!
Image Quality & Size. Prefer JPG images (min size of 1920px wide) over PNGs whenever possible. JPGs generally have much smaller download size than PNGs which have the same screen size. WIX will also automatically convert JPGs to WebP for compatible browsers, which reduces download size even more. If you use transparent logos it is good practice to use Vector files or PNG. Make sure you avoid GIF files on backgrounds (pages & strips).
Vector Images. It is a good practice to use SVG files as an alternative to images. If you are in need of creating a unique shape crop, just simply use CROP +SVG. Remember! You can change the original colours of the vector file to your site colours by using SVGs with up to 8 colours.
No text in images. Open text only. Avoid text-in-images whenever possible. Text in images loads slow, so you’ll lose information and also leave your visitors with a blank canvas until your site is completely visible. On top of loading issues, text in images simply doesn’t look good, it makes your page much heavier and the text unsearchable.
Use buttons for an interactive text that is also readable and great for SEO.
Limit number of custom fonts. Be consistent throughout the site, use the Themes fonts. Limit the number of fonts you use, paint a consistent style for your brand. First impressions of your site and business are lasting moments you can’t get back. Each font needs to be downloaded and that adds up. Different weights of the same font can cause distinct downloads.
Limit number of Add-ons. Be careful and smart when using Add-Ons. Add-ons can add awesome Functionality to your WIX website, but they also add overhead. Simply limit the number of Add-ons to those that provide value. It is important to use Apps made by WIX. Always ask yourself which apps are really necessary to achieve your website’s goals.
Shorter pages instead of long scrolling pages. It has become popular to create long pages that a visitor scrolls through. While WIX does prioritize resource download, long pages still have overhead. Consider splitting very long pages into several shorter pages. For example: move a map to separate “Contact Us” page.
Mobile optimization. Focus on mobile performance. As your site is much smaller on mobile devices than desktops, you need to make the best use of that space. It is a good practice to create and organize content on a strip and then optimize layout on mobile before duplicating the content to elsewhere on the site. Additionally, make sure you eliminate or even hide all elements that affect your performance. This can come in any form, from multiple font styles and formats to images, animations, videos, special effects, and more.
Meaningful text “Above the Fold”. “Above the fold” refers to the part of the page which is initially visible before the visitor scrolls down. It’s the most important section of your site as it’s the first thing anyone will see when they enter. Use this section strategically, by drawing in your visitors’ eyes while the rest of your site’s content loads. You can do so through meaningful text. That way a visitor has something useful to read or look at while media is downloading.
Legible text. Set text and background colours that ensure text is visible even before background images/videos are loaded. Use Alt Text feature for better SEO results.
Site colours. Set background colours which match your media to improve site perceived performance. Use the top part (Site Colours) of the colour picker for easy site-wide updates later.
Animations. Use animations wisely as it can take time until they play. Be selective about which ones you use. Specifically, avoid animated GIFs. These files are the heaviest of them all, even when they are teeny tiny.
And when animated GIFs are large, they won’t only load slowly themselves, but they will delay everything else on your website.
Have some meaningful text visible above the fold without animation to keep your visitor on the page.
Media usage. Consider reducing the number of images, animations, and videos if all else fails. It might be helpful to replace an animated gallery with static images.
Test your site. Don’t just rely on the information provided by online performance testing tools! Test your page using actual devices.
Lightbox alternatives. If a lightbox that is displayed on a page load takes too long, consider presenting that message as a simple landing page redirecting to a separate content page.
I hope this guide will help you to speed up your WIX website and if you need any help, please let us know!
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