Slow-loading websites can be incredibly frustrating for users. A website that takes an eternity to load in a fast-paced digital era like the one we’re in can prompt users to abandon such sites and search for alternatives that provide the desired information faster. Users expect seamless browsing experiences and instant access to information. It is essential for website owners to understand the impact of slow website speeds and take measures to optimize their site’s performance. To address this, we’ll look at 5 tools to test the speed of a website.
Before then, what causes websites to load slowly?. There are a number of reasons a site won’t load at lightning speed. First, the number and size of media files on the website can contribute to slow speeds. Second, the presence of numerous plugins can also slow down a website since these plugins recover data from external sites.
Also, an excessive number of ads on a website can lengthen loading times and frustrate users. Using lighter plugins, limiting the number of ads, and optimizing computer programs and media file sizes can help improve website speed. Using caching techniques and a reliable web host can equally improve website performance.
5 tools to test the speed of a website
Google PageSpeed Insights
PageSpeed Insights is Google’s brainchild and a free versatile tool for testing the speed of a website. This tool can generate tests for both desktop and mobile versions of any website. To test the speed of a website, Google PageSpeed Insights assesses the website against Google’s core web vitals. Analyzing the time taken by the site to load each page.
This tool offers suggestions for improving the website’s overall performance, and the suggested changes can be made on the spot. It further provides a detailed understanding of page load and its impact on user experience. Considering that even the slightest delay when a website is loading can affect visitor retention.
GTMetrix Tool For Testing the Speed of A Website
GTMetrix is a popular and user-friendly online speed test tool, particularly suited for novice website owners. It effectively breaks down performance analysis while keeping things simple. After completing the test, users usually acquire two primary assessments. One is the performance; which is a combination of Google’s Lighthouse score and GTMetrix’s checks. The second assessment is the layout; which evaluates the optimization progress of the site’s pages.
The tool offers additional features such as an illustrated outline displaying page load for each core web vital. An assessment to optimize web pages and charts that display loading times for each page component. Once site owners login, they have access to a free account that can perform multiple tests across different web browsers, geographic locations, and connections.
SpeedCurve
Another great tool for testing the speed of a website is SpeedCurve. A real-time web monitoring solutions that a whole slew of top organizations and brands like BBC, Shopify, Zillow, Casper, and Expedia make use of. Some of the standout features of SpeedCurve include but are not limited to site performance monitoring.
Website owners assess and measure the experiences of their visitors and SpeedCurve’s advanced debugging features can spot the littlest issues plaguing websites. Then site owners are provided with practical suggestions to fix these technical or SEO problems that will help to improve their site speed.
Among the other capabilities of the SpeedCurve tool is the tracking of Google’s Core Web Vitals based on field data. As well as other metrics like A/B tests, conversion rates, and cart sizes. Once a poor report from the analysis is received, there are recommendations to help improve the visibility on search engine results pages.
UpTrends
An all-in-one site performance tracking tool that is not limited to geographic locations. Which is a huge challenge when choosing the right website speed monitoring tool. UpTrends uses features like RUM and Synthetics to identify and demystify underlying technical glitches and errors slowing websites down. This is instrumental in tracking down site elements that contribute to the slow site speed.
The tool is developed with features that are capable of monitoring user experience metrics in web applications. It can monitor real browsers against Core Web Vitals, test API calls, and alert users through various online channels against potential issues.
Dotcom Monitor
What makes an ideal website performance testing tool is the ability to give accurate real-time reports on sites, provide suggestions for improvement, and a user-friendly interface. All of which DotCom is equipped with for effectual performance monitoring and site visibility.
As the name “Dotcom” implies, Dotcom Monitor is focused on driving massive traffic and visibility to websites. By improving the performance, usage, and uptime of websites and applications, along with erasing susceptibility to glitches and errors. it equally allows for integration of third-party software such as Slack, Zapier, Microsoft Azure, etc.
