Google PageSpeed is the definitive tool to analyze mobile, laptop, and desktop web page download speeds. This free Google service gives you a quick view of how your site looks on a smartphone and non-mobile screens.In our cloud computing, social media, and mobilized age, content may be king. But loading blog and website pages quickly are Queen. Viewers, we’re told, leave slow sites within 3-4 seconds if displays aren’t mobile-friendly. Worse yet, they’ll probably not return.
Web page speed is one of the most critical factors for business success as technology improves. Mobile Web page performance is even more important since 60%+ users use mobile phones to visit websites.
Facebook and other social network site mobile visitor rates are even higher.
Content Marketing vs. Web Speed
Content marketers recommend writing great content. But it’s Google and other service providers who also recommend delivering content faster than a jack rabbit in heat. Best practices call for optimized CSS, HTML, and javascript.
Google PageSpeed, GTMetrix, WPT & Caching
While Google PageSpeed analyzes your site, a CDN service like CloudFlare or W3 Total Cache, a WordPress plugin, greatly reduces page download times. PageSpeed is now by far the premiere service for testing Web page performance while W3 Total Cache is the preferred caching plugin by WordPress experts.
PageSpeed is one of the best services for preliminary testing Web page performance while W3 Total Cache is the preferred WordPress caching plugin.
Another reliable desktop and mobile test website is GTMetrix. The free online site combines PageSpeed and Y-Slow analysis. Once you register, GTMetrix offers to test from multiple areas, such as Vancouver and Dallas.
Your test results are also stored so you can tweak your sites and return to check the changes. This site provides a goldmine of information for WordPress users interested in improving website performance.
Here’s a MobileBeyond GTMetrix PDF you can download.
WebPageTest is the most comprehensive and respected online tool for site analysis, providing both mobile and desktop speed testing from many worldwide sites. Using PageSpeed standards,
Using PageSpeed standards, WPT tells you exactly how your sites are loading. Image, javascript, CSS and HTML problems. Make sure to run 4-5 tests from different locations.
Don’t be surprised that total web page speed varies from test-to-test since they’re many other Internet and hosting factors that impact performance.
Click here to see recent MobileBeyond WPT desktop test results from Denver
Best Website Testing and Optimizing Recommendations
I now most often recommend the CloudFlare free or paid service to my clients rather than WordPress plugins. CloudFlare both accelerates website content delivery worldwide and protects sites against Internet bots, spammers, and other Web threats. MobileBeyond is hosted on
MobileBeyond is hosted on SiteGround, which offers built-in server caching, and the CloudFlare free service.
Using Google PageSpeed, GTMetrix and WebPageTest on a regular basis will tell you how your website performs.
Then tweak CloudFlare and W3 Total Cache’s settings for optimized performance, which will keep your well-crafted content speedy and protected.