Study: Website load times key for engagement

While most marketers understand that website load times are key for engagement and conversions, new data out from Eggplant underlines this. According to their new data 80% of consumers (UK and US) find slow-running sites "more frustrating" than sites that are down.

by Kristina Knight

One of the keys from Amazon's recent Prime Day is this: websites need to be functioning and fast loading. This fact isn't new, but new data highlights just how important it is for sites to run well for consumers. Researchers with Eggplant found that nearly three-quarters (73%) of consumers abandon slow-running sites and their usual next stop is to a competitor site. The data also shows that most (80%) of consumers find slow-running sites "more frustrating" than downed websites.

"This goes to show that when it comes to business performance, slow websites are a silent killer. This is especially true in an age of instant gratification -- the two-second attention span and quick social media retaliation at anything less than full performance. Today, speed, connectivity, and an outstanding user experience are critical to ongoing business success, and while customers will forgive and forget the odd bug, crash, or period of site maintenance, they will not tolerate a site that doesn't move at the speed they've become accustomed to," said Dr. John Bates, CEO, Eggplant.

The survey polled consumers in both the US and the UK. Breaking the results down by region:

Consumers in the UK:
▪ 7 in 10 UK consumers report website speed important
▪ 75% will go to competitor sites if websites don't perform well
▪ 60% "feel negatively" toward brands with slow site loading times

Consumers in the US:
▪ 79% report slow sites "more frustrating" than down/non-working websites
▪ 69% of American consumers will switch to competitor sites because of slow load times
▪ 59% "feel negatively" toward brands with slow site loading times

"With retailers already preparing for the holiday shopping season, we urge them to make sure they analyze and optimize every element of their online presence to make sure it is running as efficiently as possible. As the research has shown, a slow website will drive consumers away, negatively impacting the health of the business," said Dr. Bates.

Tags: advertising, digital marketing, ecommerce, Eggplant, loyalty marketing, mobile marketing, website load times