Want to know how is the PageSpeed Insights build up?
Don’t worry, this is a curiosity shared by most of our favourite geeky clients. This tool checks different areas that affect speed, usability, and search rankings. We’ll walk through its four main categories so you can see what each one measures.
How is the PageSpeed Insights build up: visual breakdown
- Performance: focuses on speed, stability, and responsiveness.
- Accessibility: evaluates usability for people with disabilities. Speaking of, please read about the European Accesibility Act.
- Best practices: checks security, deprecated APIs, and errors.
- SEO: ensures proper metadata, mobile-friendliness, and crawlability
Performance score breakdown
Total Blocking Time (TBT): it weighs 30% from the total score. Measures JavaScript execution delays that block user interactions.
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): it weighs 25% of the total score. Measures the time it takes for the largest content element (image, text) to load.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): it weighs 25% of the total score. Measures unexpected layout shifts that affect page stability.
First Contentful Paint (FCP): it weighs 10% of the total score. Measures when the first visible part of the page loads.
Speed Index (SI): it weighs 10% of the total score. Measures how quickly content appears visually.
Key Takeaways for your improvements efforts
- TBT (30%) has the most impact → Optimize JavaScript execution.
- LCP (25%) & CLS (25%) are critical → Optimize images, fonts, and ensure stable layouts.
- FCP (10%) & SI (10%) also contribute → Improve server response time and optimize rendering.
Accessibility Score Breakdown
Contrast Ratio: it weighs 25% of the total score. Ensures text contrast is readable for visually impaired users.
Alt Text for Images: it weighs 25% of the total score. Ensures images have descriptive alt text for screen readers.
Form Labels: it weighs 20% of the total score. Checks that form fields have proper labels for accessibility.
Keyboard Navigation: it weighs 15% of the total score. Ensures all interactive elements are accessible via keyboard.
ARIA Attributes: it weighs 15% of the total score. Uses ARIA roles and attributes to enhance assistive tech support.
Key Takeaways
- Contrast & Alt Text (50%) → Essential for readability and screen readers.
- Forms & Keyboard Navigation (35%) → Ensure all elements are accessible without a mouse.
- ARIA Attributes (15%) → Helps assistive technologies interpret content correctly.
Best Practices Score Breakdown
Security (HTTPS, CSP, Safe Requests): it weighs 30% of the total score. Checks HTTPS usage and Content Security Policies (CSP).
Avoiding Deprecated APIs: it weighs 20% of the total score. Ensures modern APIs are used instead of deprecated ones.
Proper Use of JavaScript: it weighs 20% of the total score. Detects errors and inefficient JavaScript implementations.
Safe Links & Requests: it weighs 15% of the total score. Ensures safe external links and proper request handling.
No Console Errors: it weighs 15% of the total score. Checks for errors in browser developer tools.
Key Takeaways
- Security (30%) → HTTPS and CSP are crucial for protecting users.
- API & JS Optimization (40%) → Avoid deprecated APIs and fix JavaScript errors.
- Safe Links & No Errors (30%) → Secure links and remove console errors.
SEO Score Breakdown
Meta Tags & Titles: it weighs 20% of the total score. Ensures proper title tags and descriptions for search engines.
Mobile-Friendliness: it weighs 20% of the total score. Checks usability on mobile devices.
Structured Data (Schema Markup): it weighs 20% of the total score. Ensures structured data is present for rich search results.
Crawlability (Robots, Sitemaps): it weighs 20% of the total score. Ensures search engines can properly crawl the site.
HTTPS Usage: it weighs 20% of the total score. Confirms the site is secure for SEO ranking.
Key Takeaways
- All SEO factors are equally weighted (20%).
- Mobile-friendliness & structured data → Crucial for ranking and rich snippets.
- Crawlability & HTTPS → Essential for search engines to index your site correctly.
Optimizing your website with PageSpeed Insights isn’t just about getting a good score. In fact, it’s about creating a fast, accessible for everyone and user friendly experience. By understanding how each category contributes to the overall performance, we can make smart improvements.
The main beneficiary should always be the user. Bonus: this approach will please the search engine as well.
