Massive Google PageSpeed Insights

Fast-loading web pages contribute to a positive user experience by reducing bounce rates and keeping visitors engaged. Search engines like Google consider page speed as a ranking factor, influencing the visibility of your website in search results. A faster website not only improves user satisfaction but also enhances your site’s competitiveness in the online realm. Page speed insights plays a crucial role in both user experience and search engine optimization (SEO).  Here an overview of the importance of page speed in these two key aspects:

1. 1. 1. Importance in User Experience
      2. Importance in SEO

1. 1. 1. First Impressions: Page speed significantly influences a user’s first impression of a website. A fast-loading page creates a positive user experience, while slow-loading pages can lead to frustration and abandonment.
      2. User Engagement: Faster pages contribute to increased user engagement. Users are more likely to stay on a website, interact with content, and explore additional pages when they experience quick and seamless navigation.
      3. Reduced Bounce Rates: Bounce rates tend to increase when pages take too long to load. Users are more likely to leave a site if they have to wait, impacting the site’s overall engagement metrics.
      4. Mobile Experience: With the rise of mobile devices, the importance of page speed has grown. Mobile users, especially, expect fast-loading pages, and slow performance can lead to a poor mobile experience.
      5. Conversion Rates: Page speed is closely linked to conversion rates. Faster websites generally experienced higher conversion rates, as users are more likely to complete desired actions, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.
      6. User Satisfaction: Speed is a key factor in user satisfaction. Websites that prioritize fast load times contribute to a positive online experience, leading to satisfied users who are more likely to return.

1. 1. 1. Search Engine Rankings: Google and other search engines consider page speed as a ranking factor. Websites that load quickly are more likely to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), improving visibility and organic traffic.
      2. Mobile-First Indexing: Google’s mobile-first indexing strategy places increased importance on mobile performance. Websites optimized for speed on mobile devices are more likely to rank well in mobile search results.
      3. Crawl Budget: Search engines allocate a certain “crawl budget” to each website. Faster-loading pages enable search engines to crawl and index more content within the allocated budget, improving the visibility of a site’s content.
      4. Core Web Vitals: Google introduced Core Web Vitals as a set of user-focused performance metrics, including Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). These metrics directly impact page speed and are considered in search rankings.
      5. User Experience Signals: Google uses user experience signals, and page speed is an integral part of these signals. Websites that prioritize a fast and smooth user experience are likely to receive favourable treatment in search rankings.

To access Google PageSpeed Insights and analyze and optimize the performance of a web pages, you can follow these steps:

• • Open your web browser of your choice.
  • Go to Google PageSpeed Insights and type the following URL into the address bar and press Enter https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/
  • On the PageSpeed Insights homepage, you’ll find a field where you can enter, type or paste the URL of the web page you want to analyze.
  • you can customize the analysis settings by selecting the device type (Mobile or Desktop) and connection speed. These options allow you to assess how the page performs under different conditions.
  • Once you’ve entered the URL and customized the settings (if necessary), click on the “Analyze” button. PageSpeed Insights will start analyzing the specified web page.
  • After the analysis is complete, you’ll see the results displayed on the same page. This includes an overall performance score, key performance metrics, opportunities for improvement, and other relevant information.
  • Review the overall performance score and individual performance metrics to understand how well the web page is optimized for speed. Pay attention to areas that may require improvement, as highlighted in the “Opportunities” section.
  • Click on the individual opportunities to access detailed recommendations for improving the page’s performance. These recommendations often include specific actions you can take to address the identified issues.
  • If you make changes to the web page to address performance issues, you can return to PageSpeed Insights and re-run the analysis to see how the optimizations have impacted the scores and metrics.

Toggle between the “Mobile” and “Desktop” tabs to assess how well the page is optimized for different devices. Each tab provides its own set of scores and recommendations.

When you’re using Google Page Speed Insights Tool, you have several and unique input options to customize the testing parameters for web pages. These options allow you to tailor the analysis to specific scenarios, such as testing different device types or using custom connection speeds. Here are the primary input options:

• • The most basic input option is entering the URL of the web page you want to analyze. Google Page Speed Insights will then fetch and evaluate that specific page’s performance.
  • You can select to analyze the page’s performance for either “Mobile” or “Desktop” devices. This is very important because user experience, thoughts and performance considerations can vary between different devices.
  • Google Page Speed Insights allows you to select a specific simulated network connection speed to assess how the web page performs under different conditions. Common options of network connection include “Slow 3G,” “Fast 3G,” “4G,” and “5G.”
  • You can choose whether to include or exclude user experience metrics in the report. User experience metrics, such as First Input Delay (FID) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), provide insights into the interactivity and visual stability of a page.
  • Under the “Advanced” options, you can enable or disable certain aspects of the analysis. For example, you can choose to disable JavaScript execution, which can help identify issues with the initial rendering of a page.
  • There are checkboxes to include or exclude accessibility and SEO audits. Enabling these options will provide specific additional insights into how well the page adheres to accessibility standards and SEO best practices.

If you are using the Page Speed Insights API for automated testing, you’ll need to provide an API key. The API key allows you to programmatically access performance data.

The Google PageSpeed Insights user interface is designed to provide a comprehensive and strategic overview of improvement for web page’s performance, including scores, key metrics, and recommendations. Here’s a breakdown of the main elements of the user interface:

• • You’ll see a summary section that includes the overall performance score for both mobile and desktop versions at top of the page. This score is a numerical representation of how well the page performs in terms of speed and optimization.
  • PageSpeed Insights provides both real-world data (Field Data) and simulated performance metrics in a controlled environment (Lab Data). You can toggle between these data sets to see how the page performs in the actual user environment and under ideal conditions.
  • Opportunities section highlights specific opportunities for improvement. Each opportunity includes details about how addressing the issue can enhance performance. Opportunities often focus on areas such as image optimization, script execution, and resource loading.
  • The diagnostics section provides additional information about various performance aspects, including server response time, JavaScript execution time, and other potential issues. It offers insights into specific challenges that may impact the page’s speed.
  • Google PageSpeed Insights lists the audits that have been successfully passed by the web page. This section acknowledges the aspects of performance that are already optimized.
  • You can click on the individual metrics to view more details and insights about each aspect of the page’s performance. This includes information on how each metric is calculated and recommendations for improvement.
  • User interface has separate tabs for “Mobile” and “Desktop” performance. This allows you to assess how well the page is optimized for different devices. Each tab provides its own set of scores, metrics, and recommendations.
  • Another option to download a detailed report of the analysis or share the results with others. It can be useful for collaborating with developers or stakeholders to address performance issues.
  • “Page Stats” section provides information about the size of the page, the number of requests made, and other relevant statistics.
  • At the bottom of the page, you’ll find links to additional resources, including documentation, terms of service, and information about the PageSpeed Insights API.

Understanding these all elements of the Google PageSpeed Insights user interface can help you interpret the analysis results and make informed decisions about optimizing your web pages for better performance.

A numerical score out of 100, indicating the overall performance of the web page. Higher scores are generally better.

And How to Interpret the score if below 100, Fast if the score between 90-100, Average if the score between 50-89 and Slow if the score between 0-49.

Google PageSpeed Insights includes some several key performance metrics that impact on user experience:

• • First Contentful Paint (FCP): The First Contentful Paint (FCP) metric measures the time from when the user first navigated to the page to when any part of the page’s content is rendered on the screen. It’s importance is perceived speed of the page effectively
  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): The Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is one of the three Core Web Vitals metrics, and it represents how quickly the main and largest content of a web page is loaded and it Reflects the main content’s loading speed. Specifically, Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) measures the appropriate time from when the user initiates loading the page until the largest image or text block is rendered within the viewport.
  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is a stable Core Web Vital metric. It is an important, user-centric metric for measuring visual stability of the page by tracking unexpected layout shifts because it helps quantify how often users experience unexpected layout shifts—a low Cumulative Layout Shift helps ensure that the page is delightful. Higher Cumulative Layout Shift can lead to a poor and bad user experience.
  • Total Blocking Time (TBT): The Total Blocking Time (TBT) metric measures the total amount of time after First Contentful Paint (FCP) where the main thread was blocked for long enough to prevent input responsiveness. By default, Lighthouse stops monitoring Total Blocking Time (TBT) after Time to Interactive (TTI), as do some other lab tools that measure page load. Affects interactivity; high TBT can lead to slow responsiveness.

• • A higher score indicates better performance. Use the score as a general indicator of how well the page is optimized.
  • Opportunities highlight specific areas for improvement. Each opportunity is associated with a potential performance gain.
  • Prioritize issues that directly impact user experience. Focus on metrics like First Contentful Paint (FCP), Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
  • Field Data reflects real-world user experiences. Prioritize issues that have a significant impact on actual users.
  • Lab Data provides insights into how the page performs under ideal conditions. Use it to identify potential issues before they impact users.
  • Assess the severity of each opportunity. Prioritize high-impact issues that can result in substantial performance improvements.
  • Critical rendering path issues can significantly impact page load times. Prioritize addressing render-blocking resources, optimizing CSS and JavaScript, and reducing server response times.
  • Image optimization is often a high-impact opportunity. Prioritize compressing and resizing images without compromising quality.
  • Caching resources can improve subsequent page loads. Prioritize configuring caching policies for static assets.

fall into an in-depth analysis of specific performance aspects that are important for optimizing the user experience on your website.

• • Page Load Time:  The total time it takes for a web page to fully load in a user’s browser. Break down load time into key components, server response time, time to first byte (TTFB), rendering time, and complete page load. Optimize server response time by addressing backend performance issues, optimizing database queries, and using effective caching strategies.
  • Time to First Byte (TTFB): The time it takes for the browser to receive the first byte of data from the server. Optimize server configurations, use content delivery networks (CDNs), and implement server-side caching to reduce TTFB. Monitor server response times and identify any bottlenecks in the server infrastructure.
  • Render-Blocking Resources: Resources (e.g., CSS, JavaScript) that prevent the browser from rendering the page until they are loaded and processed. Use asynchronous loading or deferred loading for non-critical scripts to avoid render-blocking. Inline critical CSS or leverage techniques like critical CSS to optimize the critical rendering path.
  • Images and Media Optimization: Optimizing the size and delivery of images and media files to reduce page load times. Compress and resize images without compromising quality to reduce file sizes. Implement lazy loading for images to defer their loading until they are about to be viewed.
  • Browser Caching:  Storing static resources in the user’s browser cache to reduce the need for repeated downloads. Set appropriate cache headers for static resources to extend caching periods. Leverage cache-busting techniques for resources that change frequently.
  • Critical Render Path Optimization:  Optimizing the steps the browser takes to render a web page, prioritizing the display of critical content. Minimize the number of critical resources and prioritize loading them first. Inline critical CSS or load it asynchronously to reduce rendering delays.
  • Network Requests and Waterfall Analysis: Analyzing the sequence and timing of network requests made by a webpage. Use tools like browser developer tools, WebPageTest, or GTmetrix to visualize the network waterfall. Identify and address slow-loading resources, bottlenecks, and unnecessary requests.
  • JavaScript Execution Time: The time it takes for the browser to process and execute JavaScript code. Identify and eliminate unused or unnecessary JavaScript code. Implement code splitting to load only essential scripts initially. Optimize JavaScript code for better performance, including minification and compression.
  • Third-Party Scripts and Integrations: Scripts provided by external services or integrations that can impact page load times. For prevent performance bottlenecks minimize the number of third-party scripts. To avoid blocking the main page load third-party scripts asynchronously.
  • Mobile Optimization:  Ensuring a seamless and optimized experience for users on mobile devices. Use responsive design techniques to adapt the layout to different screen sizes. Optimize font sizes, tap targets, and touch interactions for mobile users. Prioritize and load only essential resources for mobile devices to enhance speed.

For improving overall website performance, it’s crucial for optimizing specific types of content, such as images, scripts, and other resources. Tips for optimizing different types of content:

1) Images:

• • • Use Efficient Formats: Choose the most suitable image format (e.g., JPEG for photographs, PNG for transparency, WebP for modern browsers).
    • Resize Images: Resize images to the required dimensions on the page. Avoid using larger images than necessary.
    • Compress Images: Use image compression tools to reduce file sizes without compromising quality.
    • Implement Lazy Loading: Load images only when they are about to be viewed, improving initial page load times.
    • Optimize Image Delivery: Leverage a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to deliver images from servers closer to the user.

2) Scripts (JavaScript):

• • • Minify and Concatenate: Minify and concatenate JavaScript files to reduce the number of HTTP requests and file sizes.
    • Defer Non-Critical Scripts: Defer the loading of non-critical scripts to ensure essential content renders quickly.
    • Async Loading: Load scripts asynchronously to prevent them from blocking other page elements.
    • Use CDN for Libraries: Utilize Content Delivery Networks for popular JavaScript libraries like jQuery to benefit from cached versions.
    • Code Splitting: Implement code splitting to load only the necessary JavaScript code for a specific page.

3) CSS (Stylesheets):

• • • Minify CSS: Minimize the size of CSS files by removing unnecessary spaces, comments, and line breaks.
    • Inline Critical CSS: Inline critical CSS directly into the HTML for faster rendering of above-the-fold content.
    • Deferred Loading: Defer the loading of non-essential CSS files to prioritize critical content.
    • Use External Stylesheets: Utilize external stylesheets rather than inline styles for better browser caching.
    • Optimize Font Loading: Optimize the loading of web fonts to prevent delays in rendering text.

4) Fonts:

• • • Optimize Font Delivery: Use the font-display property to control how web fonts are displayed during loading.
    • Subset Fonts: Include only the characters needed to display the content on your site to reduce font file sizes.
    • Leverage Browser Caching: Set appropriate caching headers for web fonts to minimize server requests.
    • Use System Fonts: Consider using system fonts when possible to reduce the need for custom font files.

5) Videos and Media:

• • • Optimize Video Compression: Compress video files using efficient codecs and resolutions.
    • Use Responsive Media: Implement responsive design for media elements to adapt to different screen sizes.
    • Lazy Loading: Apply lazy loading to videos and images to prioritize loading visible content first.
    • Consider Content Delivery Networks: For media-heavy sites, leverage CDNs to distribute the load and improve delivery speed.

6) HTML Markup:

• • • Minimize White Space: Minimize unnecessary white space in your HTML markup for reduced file sizes.
    • Remove Unused Code: Regularly review and remove unused or unnecessary HTML elements and attributes.
    • Optimize Structure: Optimize the HTML structure for faster rendering and improved accessibility.

7) Server-Side Optimization:

• • • Gzip Compression: Enable Gzip compression for text-based resources to reduce transfer size.
    • Leverage Browser Caching: Set caching headers for static resources to reduce the need for repeated downloads.
    • HTTP/2 and HTTP/3: Use modern protocols to enhance the efficiency of data transfer.
    • Optimize Server Response Time: Optimize server configurations, use efficient database queries, and employ caching strategies.

8) Third-Party Integrations:

• • • Minimize Third-Party Scripts: Limit the number of third-party scripts to prevent performance bottlenecks.
    • Async Loading: Load third-party scripts asynchronously to avoid blocking the main page load.
    • Evaluate Impact: Regularly assess the performance impact of each third-party integration.

9) Caching Strategies:

• • • Implement Intelligent Caching: Leverage browser caching for static assets that don’t change frequently.
    • Cache-Busting Techniques: Use cache-busting techniques for resources that change frequently.
    • Service Workers: Implement service workers to enable client-side caching and offline capabilities.

10) Testing and Monitoring:

• • • Performance Testing: Regularly test your website’s performance using tools like Lighthouse, WebPageTest, and Google PageSpeed Insights.
    • Continuous Monitoring: Implement continuous monitoring to identify performance regressions promptly.
    • User Feedback: Collect user feedback on performance and address common pain points.

Field Data refers to real-world performance metrics collected from actual users who visit a website. This data is derived from the Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX), which aggregates information from users who have opted-in to share usage statistics with Google.

Characteristics:

• • • Real User Experience: Field Data provides insights into the actual experience of real users on your website. It reflects the diversity of users, devices, and network conditions.
    • Global Perspective: Since the data is collected from users worldwide, it offers a broader perspective on how your website performs in different regions and network environments.
    • Core Web Vitals: Field Data is crucial for understanding how well a website adheres to Core Web Vitals metrics like Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) in real-world scenarios.

Usage: Web developers and site owners use Field Data to assess the real impact of performance improvements and to prioritize optimizations based on the actual experiences of their users. Field Data is often considered more valuable as it represents the diverse conditions under which users access a website.

Lab Data refers to performance metrics collected in a controlled, artificial environment, often through testing tools and simulations. It is obtained by running synthetic tests on a website, where variables like network conditions, device types, and browser versions can be specified.

Characteristics:

• • • Controlled Environment: Lab Data allows for controlled testing conditions, making it easier to isolate and analyze specific performance aspects without external influences.
    • Consistency: Since tests are conducted in a controlled environment, Lab Data provides consistent and repeatable results, facilitating performance comparisons.
    • Testing Tools: Lab Data is often generated using testing tools like Lighthouse, WebPageTest, and other web performance testing platforms.

Usage: Web developers and performance analysts use Lab Data during the development and optimization phases to identify potential issues, test different scenarios, and implement improvements before deploying changes. Lab Data is valuable and crucial for debugging, fine-tuning, and getting insights into specific performance bottlenecks.

1. 1. 1. Minimize HTTP Requests: Reduce the number of elements on a page (images, scripts, stylesheets) to minimize HTTP requests. Combine multiple CSS and JavaScript files into a single file to reduce the number of requests.
      2. Enable Browser Caching: Set appropriate cache headers to enable browsers to store static resources locally. Use versioning (hashing) for assets to ensure updates are fetched when necessary.
      3. Optimize Images: Compress and resize images to reduce file sizes. Use modern image formats like WebP for better compression. Implement lazy loading for images to defer their loading until they are about to be viewed.
      4. Prioritize Critical Rendering Path: Inline critical CSS directly into the HTML for faster rendering of above-the-fold content. Prioritize loading essential resources to improve perceived performance.
      5. Reduce Server Response Time: Optimize server configurations, database queries, and server-side processes. Implement server-side caching strategies to reduce response times.
      6. Use Content Delivery Networks (CDN): Integrate with a CDN to distribute static assets globally and reduce latency. Configure CDN settings for optimal performance and caching.
      7. Defer Non-Critical JavaScript: Defer the loading of non-essential JavaScript to avoid blocking the rendering of the page. Load scripts asynchronously to improve page load times.
      8. Minify and Compress Files: Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files to reduce their size. Enable Gzip or Brotli compression for text-based resources.
      9. Optimize CSS Delivery: Minimize the number of CSS files and use inline styles for critical rendering. Defer the loading of non-essential CSS files.
      10. Optimize Font Loading: Optimize the loading of web fonts to prevent delays in rendering text. Use the font-display property to control how web fonts are displayed during loading.

Avoiding common pitfalls is crucial for ensuring the optimal performance and user experience of a website. Here, some common pitfalls to avoid:

1. 1. 1. Excessive HTTP Requests:

• • • Pitfall: Having too many individual elements (images, scripts, stylesheets) on a page, leading to a high number of HTTP requests.
    • Avoidance: Combine and minimize files, use CSS sprites, and prioritize critical resources.

1. 1. 2. Not Utilizing Browser Caching:

• • • Pitfall: Failing to set proper cache headers, causing browsers to fetch resources on each visit.
    • Avoidance: Set appropriate cache headers for static resources and use versioning for assets.

1. 1. 3. Large and Unoptimized Images:

• • • Pitfall: Uploading high-resolution images without compression or resizing.
    • Avoidance: Compress and resize images appropriately, use efficient formats, and implement lazy loading.

1. 1. 4. Render-Blocking Resources:

• • • Pitfall: JavaScript and CSS files that block the rendering of the page.
    • Avoidance: Use async or defer attributes for scripts, inline critical CSS, and prioritize essential resources.

1. 1. 5. Slow Server Response Time:

• • • Pitfall: Inefficient server configurations, slow database queries, or lack of server-side optimization.
    • Avoidance: Optimize server configurations, database queries, and implement server-side caching.

1. 1. 6. Neglecting Content Delivery Networks (CDN):

• • • Pitfall: Not using a CDN to distribute static assets globally, leading to increased latency.
    • Avoidance: Integrate with a CDN to serve static assets from servers closer to users.

1. 1. 7. Not Deferring Non-Critical JavaScript:

• • • Pitfall: Loading non-essential JavaScript files that block the rendering of the page.
    • Avoidance: Defer the loading of non-critical scripts and load them asynchronously.

1. 1. 8. Overlooking Gzip or Brotli Compression:

• • • Pitfall: Not enabling Gzip or Brotli compression for text-based resources.
    • Avoidance: Implement compression to reduce transfer size and improve loading times.

1. 1. 9. Ignoring HTTPS:

• • • Pitfall: Serving the website over HTTP, which can impact security and SEO.
    • Avoidance: Enable HTTPS by acquiring and installing a valid SSL/TLS certificate.

1. 1. 10. Not Conducting Accessibility Audits:

• • • Pitfall: Neglecting accessibility, leading to a poor user experience for users with disabilities.
    • Avoidance: Regularly conduct accessibility audits using tools like Lighthouse or AXE.

• • Integration with CI/CD: Integrate PageSpeed Insights API into your Continuous Integration (CI) pipeline for automated performance testing with each deployment.
  • Scheduled Monitoring: Set up scheduled tasks to run the PageSpeed Insights API regularly for monitoring and tracking performance changes over time.
  • Alerts and Notifications: Implement alerts or notifications based on specific performance thresholds to be informed of significant changes.
  • Performance Dashboards: Create performance dashboards that visualize key metrics obtained from the PageSpeed Insights API for easy monitoring.