When you run a PageSpeed Insights report for your business website, you're getting valuable information about how well your site performs. This guide will help you understand what you're looking at and who to contact for improvements.
First Things First: Who Manages Your Website?
Before diving into your report, you need to know who can actually fix these issues.
If You're Part of a Franchise or Brand
Your website is managed by your franchise home office. You cannot make changes directly, and neither can we.
What to do:
Save your PageSpeed report (copy the URL and take screenshots)
Contact your Digital Shift account manager
Share your report and explain your concerns about site speed
We'll work with the appropriate team on your behalf to address the issues
Why this matters: All the technical fixes need to be done by your home office or their web team. Improvements they make will likely help all franchise locations, not just yours.
If Digital Shift Manages Your Website
What to do:
Save your PageSpeed report (copy the URL and take screenshots)
Email our support team
Share your report and explain your concerns about site speed
Our team will review and implement the necessary optimizations
If You Have a Custom Website with Another Provider
What to do:
Save your PageSpeed report (copy the URL and take screenshots)
Contact your web designer, developer, or hosting provider directly
Share your report and explain your concerns about site speed
They will review and implement the necessary optimizations
If you need assistance coordinating with your web team, your Digital Shift account manager can help facilitate the conversation.
Why You Can't Just Fix This Yourself
The improvements needed require access to:
Your web server settings
Your website's code
Hosting configuration
Technical development tools
Think of it like your truck—you know when it's running poorly, but you need a mechanic to fix the engine.
What is PageSpeed Insights?
PageSpeed Insights is a free tool from Google that tests how fast your website loads on phones and computers. It gives you a score from 0-100 and tells you what's slowing things down.
Why this matters to your business:
Slow websites lose customers (53% of people leave if a site takes more than 3 seconds to load)
Google ranks faster websites higher in search results
When someone has an emergency plumbing or HVAC issue, they won't wait for a slow website
Understanding Your Score
The Basic Scores
90-100 (Green): Excellent - your site is fast
50-89 (Orange): Okay - could be better
0-49 (Red): Poor - needs improvement
If your score is in the 30s or 40s, this indicates opportunities for improvement. You could be losing valuable traffic before potential visitors even have the chance to fully view your page.
Mobile vs Desktop: Focus on Mobile
Your report shows two scores—one for mobile phones and one for desktop computers.
Pay attention to mobile first because:
Most people searching for plumbers, HVAC, or electricians are on their phones
Google uses your mobile site to determine your search rankings
Emergency calls almost always come from mobile phones
Mobile scores are usually lower than desktop, which is normal. But a mobile score below 50 indicates significant opportunities for optimization.
The Three Numbers That Actually Matter
Google uses three specific measurements to rank your website. Don't worry about the technical names—just understand what they mean:
1. How Long Until Customers See Your Content
Technical name: Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)
Should be: Under 2.5 seconds
What it means: How long someone waits to see your phone number, services, and main information
In your report, look for: A number followed by "s" (seconds). If you see 4.0s or higher in red or orange, there's room for improvement. Anything over 9 seconds means customers wait almost 10 seconds to see anything useful—most people will leave before then.
2. How Quickly Your Site Responds to Clicks
Technical name: Interaction to Next Paint (INP)
Should be: Under 200 milliseconds (0.2 seconds)
What it means: The delay between when someone taps "Call Now" and when something happens
In your report, look for: A number followed by "ms" (milliseconds). If you see over 200 ms in orange or red, your site may feel sluggish to users.
3. Does Your Page Jump Around While Loading?
Technical name: Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)
Should be: Under 0.1
What it means: If someone tries to tap your phone number but an image loads and pushes it down, causing them to tap the wrong thing
In your report, look for: A decimal number. If you see 0.1 or higher, your page may be shifting around too much.
These three measurements directly affect your Google rankings and whether customers stay on your site or leave.
What the Other Scores Mean
Your report shows four different scores. Here's what each one means in plain English:
Performance Score (Most Important)
This is the big one. It measures how fast your site loads and works.
What the numbers mean:
90-100: Excellent
70-89: Good enough for most businesses
50-69: Needs improvement
Below 50: Significant opportunities for optimization
If you see a score in the 30s or 40s: This indicates your site has significant room for improvement, especially on mobile phones.
SEO Score
Less important than you'd think. This checks basic technical stuff, NOT whether you'll rank well in Google.
What it checks:
Can Google read your pages?
Are your images labeled?
Is text readable on phones?
If you see 75-90: This is fine. Your basic technical setup is good.
Important: This score doesn't measure your actual SEO (keywords, content, reviews, backlinks). You can have a high SEO score here and still not rank well, or have a low score and rank great.
Accessibility Score
Measures: Can people with disabilities use your site (blind users, people using screen readers, etc.)?
If you see 60-80: Decent. There's room for improvement, but it's not terrible.
Best Practices Score
Measures: Is your site built using modern, secure methods?
If you see 70-85: Acceptable. Some things could be better, but nothing is critically broken.
What's Actually Slowing Down Your Site?
The report lists lots of technical issues. Here's what they mean in plain English, starting with the biggest opportunities:
Common High-Impact Opportunities
1. "Serve static assets with an efficient cache policy"
In plain English: Your site could be configured to let browsers save certain files locally, so visitors don't have to download them repeatedly. It's like letting someone keep a part in their truck instead of making them drive to your shop for it every time.
In your report, look for: This appears under "Diagnostics" or "Opportunities." It may show how many resources could benefit from better caching and potential data savings measured in KiB or MB.
The fix: Your web team can adjust server settings to enable browser caching. This is a server configuration, not a website redesign.
2. "Reduce unused JavaScript"
In plain English: Your site may be loading code that it doesn't use. It's like carrying around tools you never need—they just weigh you down.
In your report, look for: This appears under "Opportunities" and shows how much unused code is being loaded, measured in KiB or MB. Even a few hundred KiB can significantly slow down mobile loading.
The fix: Your web team can clean up the code and remove what's not being used.
3. "Efficiently encode images" or "Serve images in next-gen formats"
In plain English: Your photos could be optimized with modern formats and compression. It's like sending a regular video instead of a 4K video when regular quality works fine.
In your report, look for: Listed under "Opportunities" with potential savings shown in KiB. You may see specific image filenames listed.
The fix: Convert images to modern formats (WebP) and compress them without losing quality.
4. "Defer offscreen images"
In plain English: Your site could be configured to load images only when someone scrolls down to them, rather than loading everything at once. It's like loading only what you need in the front of your truck instead of the entire contents.
In your report, look for: Under "Opportunities" - shows potential savings from images that could be lazy loaded.
The fix: Set up "lazy loading" so images only load when someone scrolls down to them.
5. "Reduce JavaScript execution time"
In plain English: Your site may be spending too much time running code before it can display content.
In your report, look for: Under "Diagnostics" - shows the execution time in seconds. If you see 3-5 seconds, there's room for optimization. Anything over 7 seconds indicates significant opportunity for improvement.
The fix: Optimize or streamline scripts (analytics, chat widgets, tracking tools).
6. "Minimize main-thread work"
In plain English: Your site may be trying to do too much at once, which can make it feel slow and unresponsive.
In your report, look for: Under "Diagnostics" - shows total time in seconds. If you see 5-8 seconds, there's room for optimization. Anything over 10 seconds indicates significant opportunity for improvement.
The fix: Technical optimization of how the site processes information.
7. "Reduce initial server response time"
In plain English: Your web server may be taking too long to start sending your page. This could be related to hosting performance, database queries, or server configuration.
In your report, look for: Under "Diagnostics" or "Opportunities" - shows server response time in milliseconds. Under 600ms is good; over 800ms indicates opportunity for improvement.
The fix: Your hosting provider or web team can optimize server configuration, database queries, or consider upgrading hosting resources.
Other Common Opportunities
"Eliminate render-blocking resources"
In plain English: Some files may need to load completely before anything shows on screen. It's like waiting for one person to finish before anyone else can start.
In your report, look for: Under "Opportunities" - lists specific CSS and JavaScript files that may be blocking the page from displaying.
"Avoid serving legacy JavaScript to modern browsers"
In plain English: Your site may be using older code when newer, more efficient code would work for most visitors.
In your report, look for: Under "Opportunities" - shows potential savings in KiB from using modern code.
"Reduce unused CSS"
In plain English: Your site may be loading styling code it doesn't use.
In your report, look for: Under "Opportunities" - shows how much unused CSS styling code is being loaded.
"Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)"
In plain English: Your website files are stored in one location. A CDN puts copies on servers around the world and optimizes delivery, so visitors load your site faster from a nearby location. It's like having multiple supply warehouses instead of one.
In your report, look for: This may not appear as a specific recommendation, but if you see "Total page size" or references to large amounts of data being transferred (measured in MB), a CDN could help.
The fix: Your hosting provider or web team can set up a CDN service (like Cloudflare).
"Avoid long main-thread tasks"
In plain English: Your site may have processes that take too long, blocking the browser from responding quickly to clicks and taps.
In your report, look for: Under "Diagnostics" - shows how many long tasks were found. More than 20-25 long tasks indicates significant opportunity for optimization.
"Avoid document.write()"
In plain English: Your site may be using an outdated coding method that can slow down loading.
In your report, look for: Under "Diagnostics" - indicates code that could be modernized.
"Preconnect to required origins"
In plain English: Your site could load third-party resources (like fonts or analytics) faster by establishing connections earlier.
In your report, look for: Under "Opportunities" - lists third-party domains that could benefit from preconnect.
The fix: Your web team can add preconnect hints to speed up third-party resource loading.
Quick Wins (Easier to Implement)
"Links do not have descriptive text"
In plain English: Your site may have links that say "Click Here" or "Learn More" instead of "Schedule Plumbing Service" or "Call for HVAC Repair."
Why it matters:
Helps people using screen readers (accessibility)
Helps Google understand your content
Makes it clearer what people are clicking on
In your report, look for: Under the SEO or Accessibility section - may list specific links that could use better descriptions.
The fix: Update the text of your links to be more descriptive.
"Image elements do not have [alt] attributes"
In plain English: Your images may not have descriptions for people who can't see them (blind users) or for Google.
In your report, look for: Under the SEO or Accessibility section - may list specific images missing descriptions.
The fix: Add simple descriptions to images like "technician repairing water heater."
"Properly size images"
In plain English: Images may be larger than needed. If your website displays images at 800 pixels wide, uploading 3000-pixel originals wastes bandwidth.
In your report, look for: Under "Opportunities" - lists images that are larger than necessary for how they're displayed.
Important Note About Third-Party Tools
Many performance recommendations involve third-party scripts like call tracking, chat widgets, scheduling systems, and analytics. These tools are essential for your business operations. Your web team will optimize how these load without removing critical functionality. Some performance impact from essential business tools is normal and acceptable.
Examples of essential tools that may affect performance:
Call tracking (CallRail, CallTrackingMetrics)
Chat widgets (for customer communication)
Scheduling systems (for booking appointments)
Analytics (Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel)
Review widgets
CRM integrations
Your web team understands the balance between performance and functionality.
When Should You Be Concerned?
Not every issue needs immediate attention. Consider taking action when:
Your performance score is below 50
The "Largest Contentful Paint" is over 4 seconds
Customers mention your site is slow
You notice fewer calls or leads than usual
Your site takes a long time to load on your own phone
A score below 50 with load times over 4-5 seconds indicates significant opportunities for improvement that could be affecting your customer experience.
What This Means for Your Business
Industry research shows:
1 second delay can reduce conversions by 7% - That means fewer calls and contacts
53% of mobile users leave if a site takes more than 3 seconds, and this number increases significantly for sites taking over 5 seconds
With load times over 5 seconds, you may be losing potential customers before they even see your phone number
Faster sites tend to rank higher in Google search results
Bottom line: Site speed affects customer experience. When someone has a burst pipe or broken AC, they're more likely to call a business whose website loads quickly.
Important context: Improving from a score of 40 to 70 has much more impact on customer experience than improving from 80 to 95. There are diminishing returns once you reach good performance levels.
What to Do If You Have Concerns
If your PageSpeed report shows scores or metrics that concern you, here's what to do:
Step 1: Save Your Report
Copy the PageSpeed Insights URL (you can share this link)
Or take screenshots of the main scores and key issues
Note the date you ran the test
Step 2: Contact the Right Team
If you're part of a franchise:
Contact your Digital Shift account manager
Share your PageSpeed report URL or screenshots
Explain your concerns (e.g., "My mobile score is 36" or "The site feels slow")
We'll coordinate with your home office web team on your behalf
If Digital Shift manages your website:
Email our support team at [support email]
Share your PageSpeed report URL or screenshots
Explain your concerns
Our team will review and prioritize optimizations
If another provider manages your website:
Contact your web designer, developer, or hosting provider
Share your PageSpeed report URL or screenshots
Explain your concerns
They'll review and recommend optimizations
If you need assistance coordinating with your web team, your Digital Shift account manager can help facilitate the conversation.
Step 3: Understanding the Process
Your web team will:
Review your report and current site configuration
Identify which optimizations are feasible for your specific setup
Prioritize changes based on impact and complexity
Implement improvements while maintaining site functionality
Test to ensure tracking, integrations, and features continue working properly
Important to know: Some recommendations may not be applicable to all websites due to specific requirements, third-party integrations, or platform limitations. Your web team will focus on optimizations that provide the best balance of performance improvement and maintained functionality.
What Information Helps Your Web Team
When reaching out about PageSpeed concerns, it's helpful to share:
Your specific metrics:
Performance score (especially if below 50)
Largest Contentful Paint time (especially if over 4 seconds)
Whether this is mobile or desktop (or both)
Business impact (if you've noticed):
Customer mentions of slow loading
Changes in calls or leads
Difficulty using the site on your own phone
Top opportunities from your report:
You don't need to understand all the technical details, but mentioning the top 2-3 items listed under "Opportunities" in your report helps prioritize fixes. Common ones include:
Caching configuration
Unused code
Image optimization
Lazy loading
Server response time
Tracking Your Progress
Test monthly:
Enter your website URL
Click "Analyze"
Save the URL or take screenshots
Compare to previous months
What to track:
Performance score (goal: get above 50, ideally 70+)
Largest Contentful Paint time (goal: under 4 seconds, ideally under 2.5)
Any improvements in the "Opportunities" section
Keep a simple record:
Date
Performance Score
Load Time (LCP)
Notes (what changed, if anything)
Share these monthly results with your web team so progress can be tracked and additional optimizations can be prioritized if needed.
Common Questions
Do I need a perfect score of 100?
No. A score of 70-89 is good for most businesses. Going from 85 to 95 takes significant effort for diminishing returns.
My desktop score is good but mobile is lower. Which matters?
Mobile matters most. That's what Google uses for rankings and where most customers are. Mobile scores are typically lower than desktop, which is normal.
Will fixing this help my Google rankings?
Yes. Page speed is a confirmed ranking factor, especially for mobile searches.
How long will fixes take?
It varies. Simple optimizations (caching, compression): 1-2 weeks. More complex improvements (code cleanup, CDN): 1-3 months. Your web team will provide realistic timelines based on your specific situation.
Can I just ignore this?
If your score is below 50, there are significant opportunities to improve customer experience. Scores in the 30s-40s particularly warrant attention.
My SEO score is 85. Doesn't that mean my SEO is good?
Not necessarily. That score only checks basic technical items. Your actual SEO depends on content, keywords, reviews, backlinks, and many other factors.
Will these changes affect my website functionality?
When done properly by qualified professionals, optimizations are implemented carefully to maintain all existing functionality. Your web team will test changes before going live to ensure tracking, integrations, and features continue working properly.
What if only some of the issues in this guide appear in my report?
Every website is different. Focus on the opportunities that appear in YOUR specific report. The items listed at the top of your report under "Opportunities" are ranked by potential impact for your site.
What does "KiB" or "MB" mean in the report?
These measure data size. KiB (kibibytes) and MB (megabytes) indicate how much data could be saved. Bigger numbers mean bigger opportunities for improvement. As a rough guide: 1,000 KiB = about 1 MB, and saving even a few hundred KiB can noticeably improve mobile load times.
I don't understand all the technical terms. Do I need to?
No. Your web team understands these metrics. Just share your report and your concerns, and they'll handle the technical analysis and implementation.
Why can't all recommendations be implemented?
Some recommendations may conflict with necessary site functionality, third-party integrations (like scheduling systems or payment processors), or platform-specific requirements. Your web team will focus on optimizations that provide meaningful improvement while maintaining all essential features.
The Bottom Line
If your score is below 50 with load times over 4 seconds, there are significant opportunities to improve your site's performance and customer experience.
The good news: Many performance issues can be addressed through optimization. Most improvements involve server configuration, code cleanup, and image optimization rather than complete redesigns.
What you need to do:
Run your PageSpeed test monthly
If you see concerning scores (below 50) or slow load times (over 4 seconds), contact the appropriate team
Share your report and any observations about customer experience
Your web team will review and implement feasible optimizations
What typically gets prioritized:
Items listed under "Opportunities" in your report are ranked by potential impact. Common high-impact optimizations include:
Server response time improvements
Caching configuration
Removing unused code
Optimizing images
Lazy loading images
Setting up a CDN
Your goal: Improve your performance score toward 70+ and reduce load time toward 3 seconds on mobile.
Progress takes time: Performance optimization is an ongoing process. Your web team will implement improvements systematically while ensuring your site continues functioning properly.
Remember: Site speed affects customer experience. When someone has an emergency service need, a fast-loading website helps ensure they can quickly find your phone number and contact you for help.