WebCami’s Toolbox: GT Metrix

I find myself using GTmetrix.com almost every single day.  I just ran it on a site that I built for an organization on an entirely volunteer basis.  The site is flunking out on this test because the photos that have been uploaded since I turned over the site have not been scaled.  While I never want to give up the quality of images on a site, I also don’t want my clients to get an “F” on this test. In addition to making me think about an educational blog post for my clients, I also moved up this post in my schedule to share it today.

Page speed is now part of the Google algorithm and also part of their mobile first rankings.  I do have some favorite page speed plugins to aid in getting numbers up and I will share those soon.  What I try to do when running this test is to get a strong B, or at the very least, a high C.  I don’t need to be the top of the class. I  say this because WordPress is inherently hard to get and A with on both metrics.  Some of the techniques Google recommend may break your theme display.

You might be asking why I use GTmetrix.com over Google PageSpeed Insights. I find that the recommendations that are suggested at GTmetrix are easier to follow and they have great explanations for each metric.  Am I the only one that finds Google lacking in UX/UI with their services?

What do you use to check the speed of your websites?  Do you train your clients how to test when you hand over the site? Do you offer services for a “tune up”?

RESOURCES:   WEBRIS – Google PageSpeed Rules for Dummies: What Do They Mean?