How to optimize your PageSpeed Insights score

PageSpeed Insights (PSI) is a useful tool for measuring your site's performance. However, it’s important to understand its limitations and focus on what truly matters—real-world user experience and Core Web Vitals. Here’s what you need to know.

Ycode’s exceptional performance

An empty project generated in Ycode scores 100 across all categories in PSI. Want to see it in action? Check out this example. By starting with Ycode, you’re already building on a foundation of top-tier performance.

Why PSI scores don’t affect SEO

• PSI scores don’t impact search rankings.
  Google prioritizes Core Web Vitals for SEO, not PSI scores. Core Web Vitals are based on real-world user data, while PSI relies on simulated testing on slow devices.

• Low PSI scores don’t mean poor performance.
  Your site can have excellent Core Web Vitals and still score low on PSI due to its testing environment. Use Google Search Console to monitor Core Web Vitals for accurate performance insights.

Why PSI recommendations may be unreliable

PSI provides optimization suggestions, but they’re often inconsistent and don’t always lead to better performance. Focus on proven best practices for your website’s optimization instead.

If you still want to optimize your PSI score

1. Run Multiple Tests

   • PSI scores can vary by up to 15 points between tests. Run at least three tests and use the median or mean score for a more accurate measure.

   • Add a query parameter (e.g., ?1234) to your URL to bypass the waiting period between runs.

2. Apply Performance Best Practices

   • Follow Ycode’s best practices for optimizing images, fonts, and other assets.

   • Ensure your site is fully optimized and free of warnings before publishing.

Final note

While a high PSI score may look good, it’s more important to focus on real-world performance and Core Web Vitals.