Get your website up to speed with Google PageSpeed Insights
A fast website is crucial these days. Not only does it improve user experience, but it can also boost your search engine ranking. Google PageSpeed Insights (PSI) is a free tool that helps you analyse your website’s speed and identify areas for improvement.
This article will guide you through using Google PageSpeed Insights to diagnose and fix website speed issues.
Step 1: Accessing PageSpeed Insights
Head over to the Google PageSpeed Insights website: https://pagespeed.web.dev/.
Step 2: Testing Your Website
Simply copy and paste the URL of the webpage you want to test into the designated field. Click the “Analyze” button, and PSI will get to work.
Step 3: Understanding the Results
After a brief analysis, PSI will present you with a report. Here’s a breakdown of the key sections:
- Performance Scores: You’ll see separate scores for mobile and desktop versions of your website. These scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better performance.
- Field Data (if available): This section leverages real-world data from Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) to show you how actual users experience your website’s loading speed.
- Origin Summary: This section focuses on Core Web Vitals, which are essential metrics for user experience, including Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).
- Lab Data: This section provides detailed insights generated by Lighthouse, an open-source tool that powers PSI. It categorises recommendations for improvement under two sections: Opportunities and Diagnostics.
- Opportunities: These are suggestions for prioritising improvements that can significantly impact your website’s speed.
- Diagnostics: This section provides more in-depth information on specific performance issues.
Step 4: Taking Action
Don’t get overwhelmed by the data! Focus on the Opportunities section and start by addressing the high-impact recommendations. These might involve optimising images, reducing render-blocking resources, or improving server response time.
Additional Tips
- Test on Different Devices: Run the test on both mobile and desktop versions of your website to identify device-specific issues.
- Retest After Making Changes: After implementing improvements, re-run the test to gauge the effectiveness of the changes.
- Consider Lighthouse Extension: While PSI offers a web-based interface, you can also install the Lighthouse extension for Chrome to run audits directly within your browser.
By following these steps and leveraging Google PageSpeed Insights, you can significantly improve your website’s loading speed, leading to a better user experience and potentially a higher ranking in search results.
