416.2TWh of electricity is consumed by the internet every year, which in a language everyone can actually understand, is more than the United Kingdom. It’s also equal to the CO2 emissions of all of the air traffic in the world, which is really worrying.
And we thought keeping our fellow bees happy was important! (sidenote: bees are very important for the planet)
One way of reducing your company’s carbon footprint is with a more sustainable website, which is what we’ll discuss today. From best practices to improving your site’s UX (user experience), and more, we’ll examine the benefits of sustainable web design and how to make your website as green as possible.
Let’s get cracking with an overview of what makes a website sustainable.
Get your web design up to scratch and sustainable with WebHummel.
- Introduction
- What makes a sustainable website?
- Dos and don’ts of sustainable web design
- Why do sustainable websites have better UX?
- A summary
First things first. What makes a sustainable website?
The overall goal of a sustainable website can be categorised in three ways.
- Socially sustainable – does it target relevant users?
- Economically sustainable – does it help your business?
- Environmentally sustainable – is it built in an environmentally friendly way?
No matter which one is your focus, they all depend on two key factors. The first is how much energy a website uses to run, which is linked to its server(s), website content, and its code. Then, there’s user experience, which relates to how quickly content loads, how easy your site is to navigate, and stuff like that.
These are all to blame for the vast majority of surplus emissions from web browsing, which is somewhat of a problem. However, before you start panicking, we’re here to help with a practical list of tips for sustainable web design.
Top tips for sustainable web design
Designing a sustainable website is a doddle when you follow a few simple steps. Well, for the most part, it’s a doddle, you’ll probably need to enlist the help of a web design expert for some of these ideas.
Avoid unnecessary plugins
Are your plugins providing value, or are they a bit pointless and inefficient? If the latter is true, you could be guilty of unnecessary strain on your website and as a result, unnecessary strain on the planet.
A quick audit of your plugins and scripts can resolve any issues you have, and can help you get your website running smoothly with fewer carbon emissions.
You can try and do this in-house, but it’s best to speak to a web expert who knows their stuff about this kind of thing. If only there was one ‘buzzing’ around here somewhere…
Hint, hint, it’s us. We’re the web expert.
Optimise code to avoid bloating, but don’t go too far
Every website is made up of code, but left unchecked, it can become bloated and have a negative effect on your site’s usability and sustainability. JavaScript libraries such as jQuery are especially problematic, and lots of animations and other content can be coded with CSS, as an alternative.
Doing this will reduce the need to load additional JavaScript libraries, and subsequently, your page size will be decreased, as will your carbon footprint.
However, it’s worth noting that while static website pages are lightweight, they can’t be edited online. Instead, they need to be downloaded and re-uploaded whenever information changes, which can become difficult if you frequently update your website.
Minimise unnecessary dynamic loading
Dynamic website loading puts more pressure on your database which means more processing power is required. This contributes to a larger carbon footprint for your website and brand.
To negate this, choose static content where possible and remove as much dynamic loading as you can. This will make your website quicker and easier to navigate for your customers and will also benefit the environment, so it’s wins all round.
Re-think your imagery
Larger images take up more data on your site. It’s that simple. This means more power is needed for hosting and downloading, and more energy is used.
However, there’s a simple fix – just reduce the size and amount of images you have online, especially if they don’t serve your user journey.
I know this is a heinous suggestion if you’re a photographer or business who showcases your goods with imagery, but a slight reduction in quality won’t be noticed by most website users, and removing a few images will speed up your site, too.
Oh, and if you host your site using WordPress, you can find out more about optimising images for your website in our blog.
Avoid banner videos & excessive animations
If images are big, videos and animations are massive. Remove unnecessary video content from your website, especially videos that load automatically in banners.
To preserve further bandwidth, you can also lead users away from your website for video content or allow them to be in control of when videos start playing.
Cut ties with fossil fuels & other harmful industries
It’s all well and good claiming to be a sustainable business, but actions speak much louder than words when it comes to your carbon footprint. That’s why it’s wise to move away from business partnerships with companies that rely heavily on fossil fuels or other harmful products.
Doing so will do wonders for your brand reputation, and will also keep your hands that bit cleaner when it comes to the destruction of the planet.
When it comes to website hosting, go with providers that are more sustainable and transparent for a carbon-conscious experience.
Hosting provided by renewable energy
Green energy website hosting is becoming more popular in a carbon-conscious world, and we’re absolutely ‘buzzing’ with excitement about this development. In fact, our website hosting is completely powered by renewables!
To boost the green credentials of your website and as a result, your business, choose web hosts with proven renewable energy sources.
Please note, however, that it’s important to ensure that their service is actually effective, or your website could be delisted or poorly ranked by Google.
Open source tools & transparency
Much like the bee community, open source relies on collaboration to make things work. Transparency is also encouraged when it comes to open source technology, with widespread access allowing almost anybody to contribute and modify source code.
This leads to more innovation and creativity, and in terms of sustainability, it encourages the reusing and recycling of code, too.
Find an open source framework with a permissive licence such as MIT, but always make sure to do your research and pick the fastest option. This can improve the efficiency of your website with lightweight frameworks and code, and it can help you reduce your carbon footprint as a business, too.
If you’re interested in getting that carbon footprint down, there are lots of open source web design applications, some more obscure than others, to choose from.
Optimise your content and implement SEO
Helping people find your website is, in a nutshell, what SEO is all about. However, having adequate SEO in place also lessens the time it takes for customers to find answers to questions.
With fewer pages to download and queries answered quicker, you reduce the time people spend browsing the web, and therefore, you do your bit for the planet.
It’s also estimated that smartphone internet browsing produces around 4.5 million tonnes of CO2 per year, and since internet usage is largely driven by user activity, keyword optimisation is a key facet of sustainable web design.
Why sustainable websites have better UX
With some best practice tips covered, let’s think about your customers and website visitors. They’re the ones who keep you and your hive in honey, but how can you balance keeping your customers happy with sustainability?
Improve the accessibility of your website
An accessible website is easier and quicker to view for everyone, not just those with disabilities. To achieve accessibility, you should have less dynamic content on your website and commit to the continuous improvement of your website’s UX.
This is not only incredibly important for users of your website, which results in more brand awareness, trust, and repeat visitors, but it’s hugely beneficial for the sustainability of the planet.
Why? Because accessibility makes everything that bit easier to take in, which in turn, reduces the amount of time and power spent browsing your website.
Reduced load time = a lower bounce rate
Load time for websites is crucial from basically every viewpoint, especially when, according to research by Google, 53% of website visitors abandon a web page if it doesn’t load within three seconds. That same research found that half of people expect a page to load in under 2 seconds, too, and for 46% of people, waiting for pages to load is what they dislike most about browsing websites on their phones.
So, if your pages load quicker, you’ll lower your bounce rate. This also helps with the sustainability of your website design as faster pages reduce your website’s carbon footprint, because there’s less power required to load your content.
A sustainable website is better organised
With the above measures in place, you’re able to provide a better user experience thanks to a more organised structure. User-focussed and well-designed website content makes the user experience smoother, meaning you can satisfy your customers and website visitors, as well as bring down your carbon footprint.
So, you can be the ‘bee’s knees’ in the eyes of the bees and your customers, which is the best possible result.
Go sustainable with your website design
We know better than anyone that if you want to compete in 2023, you need a website. However, by following the guidance you see above, you can create a super-functional, user-friendly website and thrive as a business, without compromising the planet’s valuable resources.
All in all, the long-term benefits of going sustainable with your web design are tangible, and you can keep the planet, your customers, and your bank account happy and healthy.
To learn more from the web design experts at WebHummel, give us a ‘buzz’ on 01904 373 069 or email us at beefoundonline@webhummel.co.uk.
