Why Speed Matters

Here is an interesting article about how intolerant Internet users have become when it comes to waiting for a video to load - Study: Streaming Video Viewers Lose Patience After 2 Seconds.  Here are the key findings:

• Viewers begin to abandon a video if it hasn't loaded in 2 seconds
• If the video hasn't started within 5 seconds, 25% abandon the video
• If the video hasn't started within 10 seconds, 50% abandon the video
• Each additional second of delay resulted in a 5.8% increase in the abandonment rate
• 1/2 the people with high speed Internet access believe that 5 seconds is too long to wait for a video to load and play

What does this mean for HVAC companies and HVAC contractors?

Quite simple - you need to make sure that your website loads quickly.  Most HVAC contractors do not have websites with video, so you can expect that patience is probably even lower for the average website. 

This is especially critical for home owners on a mobile device.  If they are accessing your website through a mobile device, it is absolutely critical that your website is optimized for mobile browsing and mobile download.

Test out your website on your iPhone, iPad, Droid, Blackberry or other device.  How long did it take to load?  Was it easy to view all of the information?  Was it formatted for the device?

If the website took too long to load, if the information was to small to read or the page required scrolling, then it is not optimized for mobile devices.  If you have any doubts about the importance, please read our previous post 23 Eye-Opening Mobile Marketing Stats You Should Know.

If you need assistance obtaining a Mobile Optimized Website, we are here to help.

Brian Starzec | HVAC Business Solutions | January 14, 2013