A fast website is crucial for delivering a great user experience and plays a significant role in your SEO rankings.
You may already be familiar with Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool, but are you making the most of it?
In this guide, we’ll explore 6 essential tips for maximizing your website’s performance using PageSpeed Insights.
What Is PageSpeed Insights (PSI)?
Website performance has been a critical factor in Google rankings for years. In 2010, Google launched the free PageSpeed Insights tool to help website owners optimize their site speed.
PSI is designed to measure how quickly your website loads and provides actionable recommendations to enhance its performance.
Why Does Page Speed Matter for SEO?
In 2021, Google introduced Core Web Vitals, a performance metric directly influencing search rankings. These three metrics are:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures how fast the main content of a page loads.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Tracks unexpected movement of page elements as they load.
- Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Evaluates how quickly the page responds to user interactions.
A website that offers a smooth, fast experience is more likely to rank higher in Google’s search results. Each Core Web Vital has a “Good” rating threshold that you should aim to meet for optimal SEO performance.
How to Test Your Website with PageSpeed Insights
Running a test with PageSpeed Insights is simple:
- Open PageSpeed Insights.
- Enter your website’s URL.
- Click “Analyze.”
Within seconds, you’ll receive detailed performance data. While the information may initially seem overwhelming, we’ll explain what it means and how to use it effectively.
1. Understand Where PageSpeed Insights Data Comes From
Before diving into performance optimization, knowing where PageSpeed Insights (PSI) data comes from is essential. PSI relies on two types of data:
- Lab Data: This is simulated data generated using Lighthouse, a tool that analyzes page performance in a controlled environment. It provides an in-depth breakdown of how your website would perform under standard conditions.
- Field Data: This real-world data is collected from user experiences through the Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX). Field data gives a more accurate representation of how your website performs for users across various devices and network conditions.
Understanding the differences between these data types helps you balance immediate fixes (based on lab data) with ongoing performance monitoring (through field data).
2. Use the Score Calculator to See What’s Dragging Your Score Down
PageSpeed Insights provides an overall performance score, but understanding what factors contribute to this score is crucial for effective optimization. PSI includes a built-in score calculator that lets you see which metrics impact your score the most.
For example, issues like unoptimized images, render-blocking resources, or inefficient JavaScript might have a heavier influence on your score than others. You can prioritize your fixes by pinpointing which elements are dragging your score down, leading to quicker and more impactful improvements.
3. Review Phase Data for the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) Metric
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures how quickly the most significant visible element (such as a hero image or large block of text) loads on the page. LCP is critical because it reflects how fast users see meaningful content.
To optimize your LCP score, review the phase data provided in PageSpeed Insights. This data highlights when each central element on your page begins and finishes loading. Compress files, use faster hosting, and reduce server response times to optimize the loading time for large images, videos, or text blocks.
4. Performance Score Variability Between Tests: What Does It Mean?
You may notice that your performance score fluctuates between different PageSpeed Insights tests. Several factors can cause this variability:
- Network Conditions: The speed and reliability of the test’s network can change, leading to different load times.
- Device Type: PSI tests can simulate desktop and mobile performance, and results can vary significantly based on device capabilities.
- Third-Party Resources: Ads, social media embeds, and third-party scripts can affect performance. Variations in how quickly these resources load can change your score.
It’s important to run multiple tests and look for consistent trends rather than relying on a single result to get a more accurate assessment of your site’s performance.
5. Use the PSI API to Automate Performance Testing
The PageSpeed Insights API can be a valuable tool for ongoing monitoring. Integrating the API into your development workflow allows you to automate performance testing and receive regular reports on how your website performs over time.
This is particularly useful for bigger websites or teams continuously pushing updates. With automation, you can detect performance issues early and ensure that every change you make is measured against Google’s Core Web Vitals.
6. Know When to Reach for a Different Tool
While PageSpeed Insights is an excellent tool for diagnosing and improving website performance, it’s not always the best choice for every situation. For example:
- For deep technical analysis: Tools like Lighthouse (available as a browser extension) offer more in-depth audits and can simulate a broader range of conditions.
- For server-side performance: Tools like GTmetrix or WebPageTest provide detailed waterfall charts highlighting server response times and network bottlenecks.
- For real-time monitoring, Use tools like Google Search Console and CrUX Dashboard to continuously track real-world user performance.
Knowing when to switch tools ensures you use the best resource for diagnosing and solving performance issues.
Deliver a Great User Experience
PageSpeed Insights is a very valuable tool for website owners. It measures how fast your site performs in the real world and provides actionable recommendations for optimizing it for better speed and user experience.
However, if the technical details feel overwhelming or confusing, don’t worry—our monthly SEO packages are here to help. Let the experts handle the optimization so you can focus on what matters in growing your business.
