Boost Your Shopify Speed Score in 2023: Ultimate Optimization Tips
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Evaluating the Necessity of Installed Apps
- Removing Residual Code from Uninstalled Apps
- Optimizing Image Sizes
- Lazy Loading for Improved Performance
- Optimizing Custom Fonts
- Differing and Asynchronous Loading of Scripts
- Onload Print Property for Delaying CSS Application
- Loading Core Assets First and Injecting Scripts Upon Interaction
- Conclusion
Introduction
In today's fast-paced digital world, having a speedy website is crucial for online success. This is especially true for Shopify stores, where slow loading times can lead to poor user experience and lower conversion rates. In this article, we will explore seven tried-and-tested tips to increase the speed of your Shopify store. By implementing these strategies, you can optimize the performance of your store, enhance user satisfaction, and ultimately drive more sales. So let's dive in!
1️⃣ Evaluating the Necessity of Installed Apps
The first step towards improving the speed of your Shopify store is to evaluate the necessity of installed apps. While apps can provide valuable functionality, they can also significantly slow down your store if not used cautiously. It's essential to determine whether an app directly impacts conversion rates or improves the user experience. If an app is not serving a critical purpose, it may be best to remove it. By doing so, you can reduce the number of assets that need to be downloaded, leading to faster loading times.
Pro: Removing unnecessary apps can declutter your store, simplify the user experience, and improve overall performance.
Con: Removing apps may result in the loss of certain features and functionality, so it's important to carefully evaluate their impact before uninstalling.
2️⃣ Removing Residual Code from Uninstalled Apps
When you uninstall an app from your Shopify store, it may leave behind residual code that can slow down your website. To address this issue, it's crucial to remove any script tags related to uninstalled apps from your theme files. Take a thorough look at your theme's theme.liquid, head.liquid, and footer.liquid files. Search for script tags containing references to the uninstalled app and delete them. By doing this, you can improve loading speed and enhance overall performance.
3️⃣ Optimizing Image Sizes
Many merchants mistakenly believe that larger images equate to higher quality. However, uploading high-resolution images directly from a DSLR camera to your Shopify store can significantly impact loading times. To optimize image sizes, consider compressing them as JPEG files. For mobile traffic, a full HD-size image compressed under one megabyte should be sufficient for any screen size. It's also recommended to use JPEGs instead of PNGs unless you need transparent backgrounds. Additionally, avoid using animated GIFs, as they can be large assets to load. Instead, consider uploading compressed MP4 videos using HTML video tags.
4️⃣ Lazy Loading for Improved Performance
One effective technique to prevent assets from blocking other elements on your page is lazy loading. By using the preload non property on videos, you can ensure they load without interrupting anything else on your website. Similarly, utilize the loading lazy property on images that are not initially visible on the screen when the page loads. This ensures that only the images in view are loaded, improving loading speed. To streamline the lazy loading process, you can also install a lazy loading plugin like LazySizes. However, avoid using lazy loading on images that are directly in view, such as the first hero image or product images.
5️⃣ Optimizing Custom Fonts
Font files can be quite large, especially if you have multiple custom fonts in your store's design. To optimize font loading, check the @font-face rules inside your CSS files. If these rules don't already have the font-display: swap property, make sure to add it. This property allows a default font to be displayed while the custom font file is downloading. By doing so, the web page is not blocked from rendering, resulting in an improved user experience.
6️⃣ Differing and Asynchronous Loading of Scripts
To optimize the loading of scripts in your Shopify store, it's essential to identify which ones can be deferred. Differing a script means that it will load after the site is fully loaded, prioritizing core assets like the hero image. Scripts from apps can usually be loaded after the site has already loaded, except for tracking pixels. To defer a script, add the defer attribute to the script tag, allowing them to load after essential assets have finished loading. Additionally, you can use the async property to load scripts at the same time as core assets without blocking their loading.
7️⃣ Onload Print Property for Delaying CSS Application
Similar to deferring scripts, you can delay the application of CSS files using the media onload print property. Since CSS files can be large and bulky, delaying their application until after the page has loaded can significantly improve performance. This method ensures that the CSS file is only applied when necessary, reducing page loading time.
8️⃣ Loading Core Assets First and Injecting Scripts Upon Interaction
To take the loading speed of your Shopify store to the next level, you can consider loading the entire store and its core assets without any scripts from apps or plugins at first. You can then inject these scripts into your store upon human interaction, such as a click or scroll event. By doing this, your store will be rendered as fast as possible, allowing the user to start interacting with it. The apps and plugins can then start downloading and initiating their functionalities. However, implementing this solution may require the expertise of a specialist to create a custom solution tailored to your specific scenario.
9️⃣ Conclusion
In this article, we have explored seven actionable tips to increase the speed of your Shopify store. By evaluating the necessity of installed apps, removing residual code, optimizing image sizes, implementing lazy loading, optimizing custom fonts, differing and asynchronous loading of scripts, and delaying CSS application, you can significantly enhance the performance of your store. Remember, website speed is crucial for a positive user experience, higher conversion rates, and ultimately, the success of your online business. So don't neglect the importance of optimizing your Shopify store's speed and start implementing these strategies today!
Additional Resources
FAQ
Q: How do I determine if an app is necessary for my Shopify store?
A: When evaluating the necessity of an app, consider whether it directly impacts conversion rates or improves the user experience. If an app does not provide any significant benefits in these areas, it may be best to remove it.
Q: Why should I remove residual code from uninstalled apps?
A: Residual code from uninstalled apps can slow down your Shopify store as it may still be loading unnecessary assets. By removing this code, you can improve loading speed and overall performance.
Q: Should I optimize all images in my Shopify store as JPEG files?
A: For most cases, compressing images as JPEG files is recommended. However, if you need an image to have a transparent background, you should use PNG format instead.
Q: Can lazy loading be applied to all images in my Shopify store?
A: While lazy loading is beneficial for improving performance, it should not be used on images that are directly in view, such as the first hero image or product images. It is best applied to images that are not initially visible on the screen.
Q: What is the benefit of differing and asynchronous loading of scripts?
A: Differing and asynchronous loading of scripts allows essential assets to load first, ensuring that the core functionality of your Shopify store is accessible to users as quickly as possible. Additional scripts can then be loaded without blocking the initial page rendering.
Q: Is it necessary to hire a specialist to implement the solution of loading core assets first and injecting scripts?
A: Implementing the solution of loading core assets first and injecting scripts upon interaction may require the expertise of a specialist. They can create a custom solution tailored to your specific scenario and ensure its seamless integration into your Shopify store.
