How to Fix Pagespeed Issues

What is Page Load Performance?

Page load performance refers to the speed, consistency, and reliability at which content on your website loads. It encompasses various factors that influence how quickly your website content displays in a browser, including HTML processing, CSS rendering, and JavaScript execution. Faster load times enhance user experience and improve search engine rankings.

Many tools such as Lighthouse, Pagespeed Insights, or GTmetrix can be used to measure this performance. Here’s an example of a Lighthouse test of one of our pages:

Lighthouse tests can be ran right through a Chrome browser window, simply:

1. Navigate to the page you wish to test.
2. Open Dev Tools (cmd/ctrl+shift+C).
3. Click the double arrow (>>) to view more options.
4. Select “Lighthouse”
5. Configure your desired settings for the test.

It’s important to note that your internet connection, chrome extensions, and other local factors can influence these results. It’s best to run this in an incognito window (cmd/ctrl+shift+N) without Chrome Extensions enabled. Use the results as directional guidance for improvements and don’t rely so much on the exact numbers.

Why is Pagespeed Important for SEO?

Pagespeed is crucial for SEO as it directly influences visibility and organic traffic. Search engines like Google consider page speed as a ranking factor, with faster-loading pages often ranking higher in search results. Optimizing your website’s speed can lead to:

Better Search Engine Rankings

Faster sites often rank higher in search results, leading to increased search visibility, traffic, and conversions. It also sends quality signals to search engines through performance metrics and positive user behavior signals.

Improved User Experience

Quick-loading pages enhance user satisfaction, encouraging longer site visits and repeat traffic. This positive experience builds trust, strengthens brand perception, and increases the likelihood of users engaging with your content or products.

Higher Conversion Rates

Speedy websites reduce friction in the user journey, making visitors more likely to complete desired actions. This can significantly boost conversion rates across various goals, from newsletter sign-ups to product purchases, directly impacting your bottom line.

Lower Bounce Rates

Fast-loading pages keep users engaged, reducing the likelihood of them leaving quickly. This decreased bounce rate not only improves user engagement metrics but also sends positive signals to search engines about your site’s relevance and value to visitors.

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Core Web Vitals (CWV)

Google Core Web Vitals metrics include:

1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – Measures loading performance. LCP should occur within 2.5 seconds of when the page first starts loading. This metric indicates when the largest content element becomes visible, providing users with a sense of the page’s main content loading speed.
2. Interaction to Next Paint (INP) – Measures responsiveness throughout the entire page lifecycle. For a good user experience, pages should have an INP score of less than 200 milliseconds. This metric reflects how quickly the page responds to user interactions, ensuring a smooth and responsive experience.
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) – Measures visual stability. You should aim for a CLS score of less than 0.1. This metric quantifies unexpected layout shifts, helping to prevent frustrating user experiences caused by moving page elements.

There are many other metrics that are used to measure page performance as well. While monitoring Core Web Vitals will give you a good sense of your website’s standing, especially with Google, it’s important to keep an eye on other metrics as well, which are included in our Website Health Scan.

• Overall Performance Score – A single metric that considers all important user experience metrics in Core Web Vitals. It uses an aggregate scoring system across mobile and desktop visits, with scores categorized as good (90+), needs improvement (50-90), or poor (below 50).
• First Contentful Paint (FCP) – Measures how quickly the first piece of content (text, image, or canvas element) is rendered on the screen after navigation. A fast FCP (within 900 milliseconds) reassures users that the page is loading and contributes to a positive user experience.
• Time to Interactive (TTI) – Measures how long it takes for a page to become fully interactive. A page is considered interactive when it displays useful content (measured by FCP), has most visible elements with registered event handlers, and responds to user interactions. TTI scores are considered “good” if they are within 3.8 seconds.

*Note: INP is only available through real user data collection, as it requires interaction that simulators do not replicate.

Common Pagespeed Issues & How to Resolve Them

Unoptimized Images

Large image files can significantly slow down load times, impacting overall page performance.

Solution: Compress images using tools like TinyPNG. Use appropriate formats (JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics) and consider modern formats like WebP for better compression.

Excessive HTTP Requests

Too many requests for resources (scripts, stylesheets) can delay loading and increase overall page load time.

Solution: Combine files and use fewer HTTP requests through CSS sprites or script minification. Minimize the number of elements on your page and combine CSS and JavaScript files where possible.

Render-Blocking Resources

JavaScript and CSS resources that block rendering can delay page display, leading to poor user experience.

Solution: Load CSS files in the head and defer non-critical JavaScript. Consider using asynchronous loading for scripts to allow page content to render without delay.

Heavy JavaScript/CSS Files

Large or unminified JavaScript and CSS files can significantly slow down loading times.

Solution: Minify CSS and JavaScript files to remove unnecessary characters and white space. Use tools like UglifyJS for JavaScript or CSSNano for CSS to automate this process.

More on JavaScript Rendering Issues →

Here’s an example of a Lighthouse report that shows top priority opportunities for improving page load performance:

How to Monitor Page Speed for Website Health

To maintain optimal page speed and overall website health:

• Regularly evaluate website performance across your website, with special focus on key pages (or have us audit your website).
• Track your site’s page speed over time to identify trends and issues.
• Implement recommended optimizations based on tool suggestions.
• Regularly check Core Web Vitals metrics in Google Search Console.

By consistently monitoring these aspects and addressing emerging issues promptly, you can ensure your website maintains strong performance, preserves user satisfaction, and supports your SEO efforts.