Determining Load Time

So now that you know load time is important how do you find out what your sites load time is? Netmechanic offers a subscription to a service you can get for your website that tells you this and they also offer a free 1-time tool as well at http://www.netmechanic.com/products/HTML_Toolbox_FreeSample.shtml

All you have to do is enter your website address in the box and hit Test Now. Give Netmechanic a minute or so to process your information and then your reports are ready. Click on the detailed load time report and Netmechanic will tell you not only how long it takes to load but also which images, etc are taking the longest. They highlight the worst offenders in red. And for each image Netmechanic also tells you how long that image takes and if you click on the image it will show you different optimized versions of the image and how they will look. Im sure you will be amazed at how much less time it will take to load a jpeg that was saved at 90% quality versus 100% quality.

Remember some people still have 28.8 modems, and while that number is coming down if you want to make your site accessible to everyone you should keep the load time as small as possible.

Why loadtime is important

What is load time and why you should pay attention

Load time can be loosely defined as the amount of time between when a user requests to go to your site and when they actually see the content.

Slow sites drive visitors away. It's that simple. 26% of online users rate slow load times as the most frustrating factor in using the web. $4.35 billion in e-commerce sales have been lost each year due to user frustration related to slow downloads. In fact 48% of users report that they gave up trying to purchase an item online because the web pages took too long to load. Generally 8 seconds is the maximum amount of time that a web user will wait for a page to load. Consistently websites with load times above this had higher bailout rates than those with faster load times.

Know your audience

There are billions of internet users out there. Some have slow connections and some have very fast connections. So how do you know which one you are targetting? Look at your site, do you target younger families, or sell technology products? If so, chances are your target audience has high speed connections. On the other hand if you sell prescription drugs, or glasses your target audience is probably older and most likely has slower internet connections. For the technology site packing it with graphics and a cool design will probably not deter sales. But doing so on the prescription drug site may lead to many frustrated users who leave the site before it ever fully loads. Always pick a design that suits the lowest common denominator.

Why put your business on the web

Customers are looking for you online, Will they find you, or your competitor?

Once reserved for the high-tech computer crowd, Now, E-mail and Web Sites are as essential to any business as Fax Machines & Yellow Pages

• Why Should You be on The Internet?
• 48% of all North American homes have computers
• Nearly 110 million people are on the Internet
• Each month the Internet population grows by 15%
  

Internet user profile

• 45% are professionals
• 22% are graduate students
• 14% are undergraduate students
• 92% use for personal use
• 67% use for business
  

Top Ten Reasons to Have a Web Site
1. Increase Market Exposure

Establishing a presence on the World Wide Web exposes your business to a larger consumer market. With a Web Site, your business can tap into larger markets for no more expense.

2. Competition

The competition is already online and they are attracting your potential clients. A business with a well crafted and promoted Web Site can compete more equally with firms of all sizes and various advertising budgets.

3. Cost Effectiveness

Web marketing is, by far, less expensive than traditional advertising mediums. You can alter or add information on a Web Site almost immediately, and do not have to wait until the following year or the next months' issue to make changes to your ad. A Web Site can save you money in numerous areas such as printing documents, press releases, brochures, catalogs and faxes. Your company's paper consumption will decrease and you can spend more money on the more important things. You'll also save money on communications costs such as faxing documents or long distance phone calling since the communication can be done within your Web Site.

4. Corporate Image

Simply including your web address in your current advertising, on your business cards and brochures and other communications can help boost your corporate image. People will see that you are on top of things in today's business world and will take a look at your site when given the opportunity.

5. Measurable Results

Through tracking your web site visitor information, you can collect valuable customer data such as determining how and why your visitors found you and determine which advertising approaches are working for you. You can apply this proven information to your other forms of media advertising with less risk and a higher rate of success.

6. Credibility

In the information age, "The Net" is the fastest growing sector. Having a Web Site is more a matter of "when" than "if." Having a World Wide Web Presence lends the necessary credibility to any business doing commerce in the nineties and into the next millennium. A Web Site is becoming as increasingly necessary as the Fax Machine and Business Phone.

7. Immediate Information

Even when your office is closed, your site is "OPEN." Information can be available 24 hours a day, to your potential clients. If they can get the information from you, when they want it, their search was a success. People want information as quickly as possible. By providing them with it immediately, you will satisfy a need and position yourself as the expert in your given field.

8. Generate Sales

The ultimate function of any business is to generate sales. The purpose of marketing in any form is to generate interest, draw a response, and to ultimately make a sale. The Internet is a proven method of doing just that. Products and services can be located, researched and contracted or purchased directly online. In today's time conscious society, the faster a need can be satisfied, the better chance your business has of receiving the sale. The World Wide Web, puts your company in front of those customers that are in search of your exact product or service when they are ready to buy.

9. Interactive

Potential clients can find and request information on your Web Site and get answers in a timely manner related to their specific needs. A simple fill in form can address the most common concerns of your visitors as well as provide a paperless message outlining their specific need.

10. Networking Opportunities

With a Web Presence, you can expose your business to other business professionals related to your field to create new business relationships. With this networking opportunity, you can be exposed to new ideas for your business.