Why Page Speed is Important to SEO when You’re Working with Affiliate Programs

If you’re working with affiliate programs to monetize your blog or website, you probably already understand the importance of SEO. It is essentially the way that people find you. Your road signs, if you like. But while most bloggers are really good at producing content and finding the keywords to promote their offers, there’s one area that is easily overlooked. Page speed. So, why is page speed important to the success of your affiliate program work? And what can you do to improve it?

Everything You Need to Know About Page Speed for Work with Affiliate Programs

What is page speed and why is it important?

Page speed is the time it takes for a whole website to load. That’s the template, imagery, words, ads and all. And it’s important because the slower a page opens, the less likely visitors are to stick around. You’ll probably know this from your own experiences online. You have to be really interested in something to give a website a second chance if it takes an age to open. And if you’re working with dating offers, or products from other affiliate programs, you need people to see your content. If your page doesn’t open quickly, those pay per sale links will never be clicked.

And the really important thing to remember here, is that speed is relative. In 2016, Google released information showing that 53% of mobile users abandoned web pages if they took more than three seconds to open. Three seconds! It’s not much, is it? And it really puts the pressure on, if you want to secure that dating traffic.

Why might your page speed need improving?

There are many different factors that can affect your web page speed.

Code

Unless you’re very technically adept, this one can be difficult to manage. But if your code isn’t well written, it can make every process slower. Many ‘plug and play’ blogs, like WordPress or Weebly, will have clean code to start with. You just need to be careful with your add-ons.

Embedded media

Video clips are a great way to create attractive content. Unfortunately, they’re also a great way to slow a website right down. So, if you’re working with affiliate networks, and want to make sure that your links are seen, limit the number of embedded media you use.

Plug-ins

Plug-ins are really useful for enhancing a website. But if you don’t select the right ones, or fail to optimize the ones you have, they will become unresponsive. And unresponsive plug-ins will always slow a website.

Graphics

The graphics you select for your website theme are what make it unique and attractive. And it’s important that you get it right. But, it’s also important that you don’t select graphics with a slow load speed. Large files sizes will always load more slowly. Especially for users reliant on 3G, or even 4G. So, try to strike a balance.

Web host

Lastly, some web hosts provide a better service than others. If you’re experiencing problems with site speed, it might be worth looking into your web host, and seeing what the competition can offer.

Sometimes, when working with affiliate programs, it’s the smallest things that can make a difference to your income. So, if you’re planning your affiliate program marketing strategy ready for next year, it might be worth assessing your page speed too. You might be surprised at the difference it can make.