Page speed - let the race begin!

When it comes to the technical optimization of websites, you can't ignore loading times. Why is pagespeed talked about so much and why is it such an important ranking factor for search engines? Is it a myth that a website's loading time is measured with a timer, or is there an adequate tool for it? What exactly is pagespeed? In the following article, our SEO experts at internetwarriors take a look behind the scenes of loading speed.

Anyone who deals with the diverse field of online marketing (especially search engine optimization) has certainly come across the term "pagespeed" (English: loading speed). We're not talking about electric cars or mobile phones, but websites. This topic is so central to search engine optimization because it involves rankings and especially user experience: It's a well-known fact that long loading times can cause visitors to leave a website prematurely. Efficiency and speed are therefore crucial factors for user experience.

What does the term pagespeed mean?

The term "pagespeed" refers to the speed at which a website is loaded and displayed. In other words, it’s about how quickly users can see the content of a website – whether it's an image, text, video, or other elements on the site. Loading speed is a very important factor for search engine optimization (SEO) because it's not only relevant for ranking but also for user experience. After all, users should not only perceive the content but also be able to interact with the website. Pagespeed is therefore influenced by many technical factors – for example, file size, image optimization, size and execution time of JS and CSS files, caching policies, and server response times.

Ideally, all relevant factors should be carefully organized and controlled to ensure fast and smooth loading times for the website and to avoid potential obstacles.

It must not be forgotten that optimizing loading times for mobile devices is of crucial importance. This optimization is one of the most important measures since Google has given higher priority to mobile versions of websites for several years. Neglecting this aspect in optimization can significantly affect the visibility and ranking of a website in search results.

Of course, there are also fixed criteria that evaluate the overall picture of pagespeed – Google's specific metrics, the so-called Core Web Vitals. Core Web Vitals measure the user experience in relation to pagespeed – the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), the First Input Delay (FID), and the Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS).

• LCP measures the time until the largest page content becomes visible to users.

• FID measures the interactivity and responsiveness of the page – the time between a user's interaction (by clicking or tapping) and the page's response.

• CLS stands for measuring the visual stability of the website and shows how often the layout shifts while the page is loading.

Engaging with the concept of pagespeed highlights its enormous importance and relevance. In summary, the question of relevance is reduced to six essential aspects:

1. Indexability: good pagespeed enables efficient crawling

2. Bounce rate and time on site

3. Search engine ranking

4. Positive user experience

5. Mobile optimization – smartphones depend on mobile networks, so pagespeed is crucial.

6. Branding – a fast-loading website is often perceived as more serious and professional.

What is the right loading speed for a website?

No stopwatch is needed to measure the pagespeed of a webpage. Instead, there are various advanced tools and resources available that allow for precise analysis of loading times. These tools offer detailed insights into various aspects of website performance and are essential for effective optimization. When selecting a tool to measure a website's loading speed, there are a variety of options to suit different needs. From integrated open-source solutions in browsers to paid, comprehensive tools like semrush – the spectrum is broad and offers a suitable solution for every requirement.

In this article, however, the two by far best-known and most popular tools – PageSpeed Insights by Google and WebPageTest by catchpoint – are examined more closely. The advantages and disadvantages of the two tools, the differences between the two applications, and the purpose for which they are used will be explained.

Google PageSpeed Insights – the classic

The history of the Google PageSpeed Insights tool, as we know it, began in 2018 with the release of version 5.0. Since that time, it has released numerous updates and improvements to keep up with web standards and meet user needs. The original idea was to provide developers and website operators with detailed information and a status quo of the website performance.

Today, PageSpeed Insights has developed into a versatile tool that not only provides data but also concrete suggestions to improve a website's loading speed. This powerful tool measures, analyzes, and evaluates the performance and speed of a website – both for desktop and mobile devices.

Figure 1: Screenshot Google PageSpeed Insights Tool – performance and metrics (mobile)

The basic principle of PageSpeed Insights is based on the following metrics:

• Performance Score: The page receives a score (from 0 to 100). The higher the score, the better the page's performance. This value is composed of various metrics relating to loading speed and user-friendliness.

• Loading time: Measured is the time it takes for the entire content of the website to be fully loaded and visible to everyone. This particularly includes the metric Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), which specifies the loading time for the largest visible part of the content.

• Interactivity and visual stability: PageSpeed Insights provides comprehensive insights into a website's visual stability, quantified through the Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), as well as the page's responsiveness, measured by the First Input Delay (FID). This tool offers precise analyses and evaluations to determine how quickly a page responds to user interactions and how consistent the visual layout remains during the reading process.

• Mobile and desktop: Another feature of PageSpeed Insights is reports evaluating loading speed for mobile devices and desktops. As a website's loading speed can vary greatly between mobile and desktop, this is a very important aspect. Therefore, it is wise to keep everything in view.

• Core Web Vitals: Core Web Vitals are a set of metrics used by Google to evaluate user experience on a website. They are integrated into PageSpeed Insight and directly indicate how the website is performing and whether the Core Web Vitals are seen as passed and declared or not.

• Suggestions: The optimization suggestions and hints that PageSpeed Insight provides are a great help – even if they are not described in detail, they still provide a good starting point and offer a good overview of the upcoming measures.

Figure 2: Screenshot – Performance issues Google PageSpeed Insights (mobile)

The tool is suitable not only for web developers but also for website operators and SEO experts.

The advantages of PageSpeed Insights

PageSpeed Insights by Google is particularly characterized by its free accessibility to everyone. But this free access is only one of the many reasons for its popularity. The tool offers detailed reports and tailored recommendations enabling users to stay up-to-date with web development and optimization. With its comprehensive analytical capabilities, it helps web developers and website operators to make their sites more efficient and continuously improve user experience.

Another highlight is the tool's user-friendliness: PageSpeed Insights is very intuitive to use and displays metrics, diagnostics, and possible improvements directly – for both desktop and mobile. The essential Web Vitals metrics are also centrally displayed. The database comes from the Chrome User Experience Report, which integrates real user data and thus ensures a global performance assessment.

Disadvantages of Google PageSpeed Insights

Like any tool, PageSpeed Insights has its downsides: The metrics used in the evaluation are standardized for all websites – that means that no target group-specific needs are taken into account, and not every recommendation is a "must" but should always be considered in relation to the goals and condition of one's website. Also, the evaluation criteria are not very flexible and allow little room for individual adjustments.

PageSpeed Insights primarily evaluates technical aspects of website performance. This requires, of course, a certain level of knowledge to interpret everything correctly. This lack of context contributes to the fact that the tool does not explain in detail how certain problems affect the actual user experience.

The tool's timeliness can sometimes be questioned, as although PageSpeed Insights is regularly updated, it may not reflect all the latest trends or best practices.

However, the tool cannot be dismissed as useless. One should always pay attention to how meaningful the implementation is on a case-by-case basis. Some tips, for example, are very time-consuming and labor-intensive, but only minimally improve the website's loading speed. One should always ask: Which measure is crucial for the user experience?

WebPageTest – a 360° view

Another jewel among pagespeed tools is WebPageTest. WebPageTest.org is a very powerful tool that provides detailed insights into a website’s performance. However, the tool is not new but has existed for more than 10 years – and is becoming increasingly well-known.
The main functions of WebPageTest can be divided into the following categories:

• Performance Evaluation: The tool not only measures pagespeed but also shows the factors affecting loading speed.

• Various Configurations: The tool offers a range of configurations allowing criteria such as location simulation to be selected. Performance tests can also be conducted with a large number of different browsers.

• Waterfall Charts: WebPageTest offers a waterfall chart that visualizes the loading process of a webpage. It shows when and in what order the various elements of the page are loaded and helps identify and fix bottlenecks in load time.

• Settings: The tool's settings can be individually configured. This also includes simulating different network speeds to cover as many user experiences as possible.

• Reports: The reports available for evaluation are very detailed and provide a comprehensive overview of the site's performance. Recommendations for efficient optimization are also given.

• Video Recording: Another plus of WebPageTest is the ability to record the loading process by video. This allows you to put yourself in the user's shoes and experience the loading process.

Figure 3: Screenshot – overview WebPageTest.org

In summary, WebPageTest offers a very detailed technical overview of website performance. For this reason, it is rightly popular among developers, website operators, and online marketing experts.

WebPageTest can compete with PageSpeed Insights

As already mentioned, WebPageTest.org offers very detailed analysis. Various elements like images, CSS files, JavaScript, etc. are analyzed, and an overview is also provided on their impact on the overall performance of the website.
Not to be forgotten are the customizable configurations making the pagespeed analysis in the tool as individual as possible.
Like PageSpeed Insights, WebPageTest provides recommendations for better optimization and further offers advanced features for programmers to test specific scenarios and user interactions.
Support or best practices can be found anytime in the forum or community of WebPageTest available on their website. Finally, it is noteworthy that WebPageTest.org is free, making it a valuable and accessible resource for web developers and website operators.

Drawbacks of WebPageTest

Although WebPageTest has much to offer, it also has weaknesses. For example, the complexity of the tool should not be underestimated: The detailed reports, the variety of functions and options can be very overwhelming for less tech-savvy users. Therefore, interpreting the results requires a certain level of technical understanding. Since the tool is not intuitive to use, you should take some time to familiarize yourself with its handling.
If you want to get very fast results, you should opt for an alternative tool – conducting a test with different settings and repeating it several times can take some time, so immediate results should not be expected. Like any free tool, WebPageTest has its limits: During peak times, the tool's test capacity might be limited and the lack of test server availability can lead to long wait times before the test can be performed.
Another shortcoming is that the snapshots provided by WebPageTest do not necessarily reflect the actual user experience in real-time. Also, continuous monitoring of the website's performance is not provided by WebPageTest.
It should also be noted that the testing capabilities and accuracy for mobile devices may not be as comprehensive as for desktop simulations. The reliance on external resources also poses certain risks as the test results may sometimes be affected by external factors such as the network performance of test servers, which could lead to distorted results.
Despite some shortcomings, WebPageTest is still a very good tool for analyzing website loading speed. It represents an accessible option for everyone wanting to evaluate and optimize their website's performance.

WebPageTest or PageSpeed Insights: The Choice

After gaining an overview of the world of pagespeed tools and becoming familiar with two of the most popular tools, the legitimate question arises as to which tool is optimal for regular monitoring and optimization. The two tools have significant differences but also their strengths when it comes to performance analysis. It is crucial to know exactly when and what you want to analyze. A targeted analysis allows you to evaluate and optimize your website's performance precisely.
The key features, similarities, and differences between PageSpeed Insights and WebPageTest can be summed up as follows:

• Main focus

  Google PageSpeed Insight: Performance metrics & Core Web Vitals

  WebPageTest.org: technical, detailed load time analysis

• Tips

  Google PageSpeed Insight: concrete recommendations

  WebPageTest.org: extensive detailed analysis

• Configurations

  Google PageSpeed Insight: limited

  WebPageTest.org: flexibly adjustable

• Analysis

  Google PageSpeed Insight: automated, front-end performance

  WebPageTest.org: manual and in-depth

• Report format

  Google PageSpeed Insight: standardized & graphical

  WebPageTest.org: very detailed, customizable

• Usage

  Google PageSpeed Insight: intuitive

  WebPageTest.org: complex

• Timeline

  Google PageSpeed Insight: quick results

  WebPageTest.org: sometimes longer wait times

• Additional support

  Google PageSpeed Insight: no

  WebPageTest.org: community or forum

• Suitable for

  Google PageSpeed Insight: SEO, website operators

  WebPageTest.org: developers

• Cost

  Google PageSpeed Insight: free

  WebPageTest.org: free

PageSpeed Insights and WebPageTest are undoubtedly very well-known and popular when it comes to loading time analysis. However, one should always question what the goal of the analysis is. As the overview shows, the tools analyze a website's loading speed, yet serve different purposes and offer specific insights and functions for website optimization. If you're looking for a fast and user-friendly analysis with a strong SEO focus, PageSpeed Insights is the right tool. Those seeking a detailed technical analysis and wanting to analyze specific metrics should use WebPageTest.
If you need support optimizing your website's loading speed, please contact our experienced SEO experts and schedule an appointment – we are happy to help! For more information about our services, please visit our homepage.