Virtual Swanage Performance Update - Faster, Leaner and SEO

Over the past few months, we’ve been working diligently behind the scenes to implement a series of improvements to the Virtual Swanage website. These changes are all part of our ongoing commitment to enhancing speed, usability, and search engine performance, ensuring the site remains a reliable and enjoyable resource for both locals and visitors.

Migrating to ASP.NET Core

One of the most significant updates has been the rewriting of large portions of our codebase using ASP.NET Core. This modern, cross-platform framework offers substantial performance gains, better security features, and a modular architecture, making it far more efficient than legacy ASP.NET technologies.

By transitioning to ASP.NET Core, we’ve reduced processing overhead, improved server response times, and made the site more scalable, all while maintaining compatibility with existing content and features. These changes help ensure the site runs smoothly across all devices and remains future-proof for continued development.

Speed and File Optimisation

To further enhance page load times, we’ve taken steps to optimise file sizes throughout the site. This includes compressing images, minifying scripts and stylesheets, and introducing more aggressive caching strategies. Collectively, these improvements mean the website now loads considerably faster, whether you're browsing on a high-speed connection or accessing it from a mobile network.

SEO and Site Health Improvements

Alongside performance improvements, we’ve carried out an in-depth audit of the website’s search engine optimisation (SEO). This involved refining meta data, improving semantic HTML structure, and adding schema markup to boost visibility in search engine results.

We also used industry-standard tools such as SortSite and Semrush to scan for potential issues. These tools were invaluable in identifying broken external links, outdated redirects, accessibility concerns, and duplicate content. Fixing these errors not only improves the user experience but also helps search engines crawl and index the site more effectively, contributing to better search rankings over time.

A Faster, Smarter Virtual Swanage

These technical improvements translate into a much faster and more reliable browsing experience for our users. Whether you're looking up local businesses, checking the weather via our live webcams, or browsing upcoming events, everything now loads quicker and more seamlessly.

We're incredibly pleased with the progress and encourage you to explore the updated site for yourself at www.virtual-swanage.co.uk. If you spot anything we've missed or have suggestions for further improvements, we’re always happy to hear your feedback as we continue to refine the platform.

Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you enjoy the faster, cleaner and smarter Virtual Swanage experience as we approach our 30^th anniversary.