Why is my website slow to load?

Most slow small-business sites are slow for one of a short list of reasons, and a free speed test will point straight at yours. The usual suspects:

• Oversized images - huge photos shrunk by the browser instead of resized properly are the single most common cause.
• Render-blocking CSS and JavaScript - files the browser must finish before it can show anything.
• Slow hosting - a cheap or overloaded server that is slow to respond before the page even starts drawing.
• Too many third-party scripts - chat widgets, analytics, pixels and ad tags each add weight and delay.
• No caching or compression - making every visitor download everything from scratch.

The good news is that each of these has a free way to confirm it and a plain fix, and most sites only have two or three. Run PageSpeed Insights, and the cause will usually be sitting at the top of the opportunities list.