If a website loads slowly, changing the server alone may not be enough. The video on the first screen, the oversized image, the large number of fonts and third-party tools should be considered together. In the freelance web design process, performance expectations should be discussed at the beginning, not after the design is completed.
Separate three different problems
Current Core Web Vitals benchmarks are LCP, INP and CLS. LCP is concerned with the appearance of the main content, INP is concerned with the response to interaction, and CLS is concerned with unexpected localization shifts. FID seen in old articles is not included in the current trio. Web Vitals description defines this distinction and field measurement.
Pressing the button while a page is in quick view may get stuck. On another page, the image may load slowly and push the text down. These two problems do not require the same solution. In the test report, read not only the total score but also the situation experienced by the user.
Prepare the image according to its usage area
Do not move an image that will be displayed small on the card with a full screen file size. The file name describing the content, appropriate size and compression should be considered together. Allowing space for width and height helps reduce card bouncing during loading.
Images below the page may load with delay; It may not be right to postpone the critical visual on the first screen in the same way. If there is a video, choose an alternative for the opening image, playback preference and mobile data load. Do not let decoration obstruct the view of essential service information.
Separate code and design responsibilities
The developer examines issues such as unnecessary JavaScript, network requests, and caching. The designer defines what motion is actually required, visual priorities, and the view at low motion preference. Making every component animated is not a measure of quality.
Lighthouse provides a controlled test; actual visitor data reflects different device and network conditions. Consider both together. A high score alone does not guarantee search rankings or sales. With Selçuk Aker we can consider the visual impact together with readability and terms of use in website design.
What should you look for if INP does not appear in the PageSpeed report?
Missing site data does not automatically indicate that the site is broken or fast. According to Chrome's PageSpeed guide, when there is no data at the URL level, the aggregated data of the source domain can be shown; Otherwise, field data cannot be presented. Lighthouse laboratory testing can still be used. Check whether the area shown is a single page or the entire site.
CrUX field data is a daily updated summary of the last 28 days of experience. Don't assume that rerunning the report a few minutes later will necessarily fill in the missing real user data. FID is not in the current Core Web Vitals trio.
INP description addresses the response to clicks, touches, and keyboard interactions. For improvement, it is necessary to find heavy interaction: such as filtering a large list, opening a menu or submitting a form. Compressing images alone won't solve every interaction problem; The developer should review the processing time and interface update.
Frequently asked questions
Does using WebP solve all speed problems?
No. Image size, quality setting, loading order and other resources are also important.
Is desktop testing enough?
No. Mobile screen, processor and network conditions should be evaluated separately.
Should I measure before or after release?
Find problems with controlled testing first; Re-evaluate after publication when sufficient real user data is available.
