PageSpeed Insights: How to Check Which Apps are Slowing Down Your Site

{{contents}}

You can have a slow-loading website, just like you can have a pet tortoise – but don't expect either to win any races. A sluggish site can result in reduced conversion rates, unhappy customers, and a dip in search engine visibility. 

That's why it's crucial to routinely monitor your site for elements that may be causing lag, such as certain applications or plugins. In this guide, we'll walk you through some efficient strategies to pinpoint which apps are putting the brakes on your site speed. 

Why Website Speed Matters 

A fast-loading website not only provides a better user experience but also positively impacts your SEO. Research shows that the longer a website takes to load, the higher the bounce rate is. This means that if your website is slow, potential customers might leave before they even get a chance to see what you have to offer. 

How to Check for Slow Apps with Chrome's Performance Tool 

One of the most straightforward ways on how to check for apps slowing down your website is by using the performance tool in Google Chrome's web developer tools. This tool allows you to see all elements loaded on a page, their size, and loading time. 

By analyzing this information, you can identify which apps or elements are slowing down your site. 

What is Google Page Speed Insights? 

Another effective method to identify slow apps is conducting a speed performance audit using Google’s PageSpeed Insights. This tool analyzes your website and identifies the factors that are slowing it down. 

It’s easy to learn how to use Google Page Speed Insights and it provides a comprehensive report divided into several sections:

• Performance Score: Overall score of your website's performance.
• Field Data: Real-world data from Google, if available.
• Origin Summary: A review of the Core Web Vitals.
• Lab Data: Metrics calculated from Lighthouse.
• Opportunities: Suggestions to help the page load faster.
• Diagnostics: More information about the performance of the application. 

By analyzing these metrics, you can identify the apps or elements slowing down your site and take necessary actions. 

Understanding the Impact of Different Metrics on Your Performance Score 

Your website's performance score is not just a single number; it's a compilation of various metrics, each reflecting different aspects of your website's loading and interaction experience. 

Let’s break down these metrics and their impact on your overall performance score: 

• First Contentful Paint (FCP): This metric measures the time from when the page starts loading to when any part of the page's content is rendered on the screen. FCP contributes approximately 15% to your performance score. A low FCP indicates a faster loading website, leading to a better user experience.
• Speed Index (SI): SI demonstrates how quickly the contents of a page are visibly populated. It accounts for roughly 15% of your performance score. The lower the Speed Index, the better, as it indicates that users see your content faster.
• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): LCP measures the time it takes for the largest image or text block visible within the viewport to become fully loaded. This metric has a significant 25% weight in your performance score. A lower LCP improves the perception of how fast your site loads.
• Time to Interactive (TTI): TTI is the time it takes for a page to become fully interactive. This metric also contributes 15% to your performance score. A shorter TTI means that users can interact with your page quicker, improving user experience.
• Total Blocking Time (TBT): TBT quantifies the total amount of time that a page is blocked from responding to user input, such as mouse clicks, screen taps, or keyboard presses. TBT has a hefty 25% contribution to your performance score. Reducing TBT enhances the interactivity and responsiveness of your website.
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): CLS measures the sum total of all individual layout shift scores for every unexpected layout shift that occurs during the entire lifespan of the page. It contributes about 5% to your performance score. A lower CLS provides a more stable experience for users, preventing annoying and unexpected movement of page content. 

Knowing these metrics and their impact on your performance score can help you better understand where to focus your optimization efforts for the most significant improvements. 

Common Issues and Solutions 

Some common issues that slow down a website include:

• Initial server response time: Reducing this can significantly speed up your website.
• Image formats: Serving images in next-gen formats can improve loading times.
• Offscreen images: Deferring offscreen images can decrease loading times.
• Unused CSS/JavaScript: Removing unused CSS or JavaScript can make your site faster. 

How We Can Help

At Fix My Site Speed, we specialize in optimizing websites for speed and performance. We understand that every second counts when it comes to your website's loading time. That’s why we offer website and Shopify optimization services, along with Core Web Vitals optimization. 

Our team of experts will conduct a thorough analysis of your website to identify the factors slowing it down. We will then provide you with a detailed report and recommendations to improve your site's speed and performance. 

If you need help identifying what's slowing down your website or want professional help to optimize your site for speed, don’t hesitate to contact us at Fix My Site Speed.

‍