Imagine driving a Ferrari that’s stuck in a traffic jam. It’s frustrating, right? Now, picture your website as that Ferrari. When your website’s slow, it’s like driving at a crawl – when it should be speeding past the competition.
So, what’s the culprit? Spoiler alert: it’s often your hosting provider. Solution? Website speed optimisation by the experts.
If your website takes more than a few seconds to load, it’s not just a user experience issue – it’s a ticking time bomb for your business. The reality? Slow websites lose traffic, conversions, and rank lower in search results. But here’s the kicker: we can tell who’s hosting your website by how fast it loads. Let’s dig in.
Related: Web Development and Web Design Company
Website speed optimisation is about user experience as well as ROI
Let’s be blunt – no one likes a slow website. In fact, Google found that 53% of mobile site visitors will abandon a page that takes more than three seconds to load (Google, 2024). And if they leave, they aren’t coming back.
Poor website performance affects more than just the user experience, it’s costing you business.
- SEO rankings: Google’s Page Experience update uses page speed as a ranking factor. Slow websites are penalized in search results, meaning you’re pushing away organic traffic. Explore: SEO Agency South Africa
- Bounce rate: According to HubSpot, a 1-second delay in load time can increase your bounce rate by 32% (HubSpot, 2024). Ouch.
- Conversions: A study from Akamai found that a 100-milisecond delay in site load time can reduce conversions by 7% (Akamai, 2017). That’s a significant hit, especially for e-commerce sites. Explore: Lead Generation
- Mobile experience: Mobile-first is the future. Google reports that over 60% of searches now come from mobile devices (Google, 2021). Slow mobile sites? They’re a dealbreaker.
Cheap hosting costs you more than you think
You might think, ”Hey, I’m saving money on hosting, what’s the problem?” Well, here’s the problem: cheap hosting nearly always results in slow load times, frequent downtimes, and subpar support. All three factors combine a terrible user experience that can hurt your business long-term.
Here’s what you’re actually paying for low-cost hosting:
- Slower website speeds: Cheap hosts often overload their servers with too many websites, slowing everything down.
- Increased downtime: Cheap hosting providers skimp on uptime guarantees, leading to more frequent outages that can leave your website inaccessible.
- Lack of support: When something goes wrong, you’re on your own with generic, slow support that can leave you stranded.
Think of that Ferrari, but filled with subpar fuel. You won’t get anywhere fast, and eventually, it’ll damage the motor. It’s the same with your business.
Mobile site speed: why it’s more crucial than ever
If you’re a B2B business, desktop will remain your primary source for now. However that doesn’t mean that visits don’t view your site on mobile phones while commuting or at home, after clicking on one of your social posts.
Mobile can’t be ignored. Google’s Mobile-First Indexing means your mobile is the version that counts most. If it’s slow, you’re basically invisible.
Here’s what we already know:
- Over 60% of searches are now on mobile
- Mobile users expect speed
- Mobile load speed affects SEO
So, don’t just do website speed optimisation for desktop; optimise for speed across all devices.
The ROI of investing in website speed optimisation with better hosting and regular maintenance
Investing in better hosting and ongoing website maintenance is an investment with high returns. Let’s break it down:
- Better hosting = faster load times = more conversions. Websites hosted on high-performance servers load up to 50% faster than those on low-tier hosting (Source: HubSpot, 2025). Faster load times = more sales.
- Ongoing maintenance = fewer issues = better performance. With regular updates, you’re not just fixing issues – you’re proactively improving speed, and functionality. Businesses with ongoing website maintenance see an average of 45% more traffic compared to those who neglect updates (Source: Forbes, 2025)
- Better hosting + regular maintenance = fewer lost opportunities. When your website is running at its best, you’re more likely to retain customers, rank higher on Google, and convert visitors into paying clients.
Think of it as giving your website the maintenance it deserves. You’ll see the performance – and the profits – skyrocket.
How our website speed optimisation helps you
At Shift ONE Digital, we specialise in helping businesses like yours make your website faster, more secure, and more user-friendly. Here’s how we do it:
- Premium hosting: If you’re serious about your business and your website’s performance, then you need to talk to us about our premium hosting service – it’s top rated and no, it’s not hosted with a South African-based hosting provider.
- Site audits: We assess your website’s speed optimisation and performance and pinpoint slow spots – then we fix them.
- Speed optimisation: We optimise everything from server settings to image compression, ensuring your site loads at lightning speed.
- Ongoing maintenance: We offer regular check-ups to keep your site in top-shape, from security updates to performance enhancements.
Get in touch with Shift ONE Digital.
This story was first posted by Shift ONE Digital on LinkedIn.
