Internetblog.org.uk Web hosting, Domain names, Dedicated servers
Question: My website is a little too slow. Do I need to find a new web host?
Answer:
1. Your web host – These is the easy one to assume, that your web hosting company is just offering slow service. But it might not be true. Test it. There are websites that will allow you to do independent traceroutes and other tests to evaluate your host’s network speed. You can also check general things like the CPU speed, RAM, and server load.
2. Check your own connection – You also should not assume that the problem lies elsewhere. Unless you have visited your site from another location, you may very well just have a slow connection on your end, even if you can connect to other sites just fine. Do a traceroute and see if there are any trouble spots between your computer and your server.
3. Optimize images – Image files with huge file sizes will take longer to load. Use an image editing program to make sure all of your images are small enough in size while still maintaining quality.
4. Use XHTML, CSS – Standards compliant websites will be faster. Most web browsers are designed to read XHTML and CSS very quickly. Avoid having inline styles and lots of unnecessary code that must be loaded every time someone accesses your site. Most of all, avoid Flash, Java, and other additional objects unless absolutely necessary.
5. Minimize externally linked scripts – Ads are often necessary, but make sure you choose ad servers that do not slow down your website too much. Some statistical services can cause lag when loading your site. Use them sparingly.
Photo: Flickr
