Google Page Speed Insights is a tool that website owners use to evaluate their site's performance and identify areas that require improvement. Although this tool is incredibly helpful, it's essential to take a measured approach to the results and not panic when it detects problems.
Test the speed of your website yourself
One of the first things you should do is test the speed of your website yourself. Try visiting your website on different devices, such as an old tablet, a phone, and a laptop. Also, try it on both WiFi and data. Is it really slow? If you find that it is, then you may need to address the issues identified in the report. However, if your website is loading quickly, then the results of Google Page Speed Insights may not be an accurate reflection of real-world user experience.
Google Page Speed Insights benchmarks are for comparison only
It's important to keep in mind that the benchmarks provided by Google Page Speed Insights are for comparison only. When comparing your website's performance to that of other sites, it's essential to remember that the tool measures mobile performance based on a simulated old phone with a slow 3G or 4G connection. In reality, most users have faster devices and connections, so the results may not be an accurate reflection of how the site performs for most users.
Even big sites aren't perfect
To illustrate this point, let's take a look at some big sites such as BBC, Apple, and YouTube. You can run these sites through Google Page Speed Insights, and you'll see that they aren't perfect either. Additionally, the tool measures the sites outside the UK, which adds a bit of delay to any server response. If you try to go to the BBC site, for example, it will try to go to the international site. This can further slow down the site's performance.
The tool may use the desktop loading method instead of the mobile loading method
Furthermore, when you run your website through Google Page Speed Insights, the tool may use the desktop loading method instead of the mobile loading method. This can result in a score that is not an accurate representation of the site's mobile performance. It's essential to keep this in mind when evaluating the results of the tool.
Use your judgement before implementing all suggestions
It's important to remember that Google Page Speed Insights only provides suggestions for optimising your site's speed. Implementing all the suggestions doesn't guarantee that it will significantly increase your site's speed. In fact, sometimes implementing all the suggestions might not have any significant impact on the site's speed. For example, compressing images is a common suggestion provided by the tool. However, compressing images beyond a certain limit might result in reduced image quality, which could negatively impact the site's user experience. Therefore, it's essential to use your judgment and evaluate the impact of each suggestion before implementing it.
Technical speed isn't everything
Another factor to consider while evaluating the results of Google Page Speed Insights is that the tool only evaluates the technical aspects of the site's speed. It doesn't account for other factors that could impact the site's user experience, such as content quality, layout, and navigation. Therefore, it's crucial to keep the overall user experience in mind while optimising the site's speed.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, Google Page Speed Insights is an excellent tool for website owners to evaluate their site's speed and identify areas for improvement. However, it's important to take a measured approach to the results and use your judgment to evaluate the impact of each suggestion. By focusing on optimising the site's speed while keeping the overall user experience in mind, you can ensure that your site provides a great experience.
