User Timing marks and measures: Using this feature requires advanced development and integration with Google's User Timing API, which is not supported by default by Shopify or Out of the Sandbox themes. Google may also mark some of the following "diagnostic" elements in its PageSpeed Insight tool: That said, not all browsers can correctly display all of these image formats (including WebP) at this time, so using them can cause image display problems or require you to use additional code to designate alternative image files to use, which can add to the complexity of development work. Google's PageSpeed Insights may also recommend that you "serve images in next-gen formats" including JPEG 2000, JPEG XR and WebP.Īt this time, switching your image files to these formats, with the exception of WebP in some cases, is not fully supported by Shopify or Shopify themes, though advanced development work could be done to take advantage of these formats. Adding cool designs or highly interactive features can be great for user experience - but it’s important to keep in mind that it’s likely a trade-off with your site speed.Īt the end of the day, it’s often a fine balance between features and speed - and typically it’s difficult to have the best of both. More features, more timeĪnother important factor to keep in mind is that every feature or design element that’s added is likely to trigger issues with any page speed testing tool. Further, many “minification” tools don’t recognize the unique Liquid tags used in many Shopify theme files, which can cause the entire theme to stop working. While these techniques certainly reduce load time, they also are something that only more advanced users should tackle. Newer versions of Out of the Sandbox themes do "minimize" code wherever practical. The same goes for Google’s recommendation to “minify” HTML, CSS and JavaScript. Not only is this time-consuming and error-prone, but it also, like all customizations, makes it more difficult to update your theme down the road. However, even for someone with intermediate CSS and JavaScript skills, meeting this suggestion can be tricky to implement since it can require some pretty extensive modifications to your Liquid files and CSS. Without getting overly technical, this is referring to utilizing some advanced Web development techniques within the structure of the code to help improve speeds. When running PageSpeed Insights, one of the first (and scariest) recommendations Google may give you is to “Eliminate render blocking resources.” In July 2018, Google rolled out significant updates to its PageSpeed Insights tool, including a new user interface and new ranking methodology. However, it’s easy to take Google’s PageSpeed Insights advice on your Shopify theme a bit too much to heart while also ignoring some easier ways to improve your site performance. That translates into the idea that sites that load faster will rank higher in search engine results. Google is on record as being “obsessed” with speed on the Web and also has indicated that speed does play a role in Web rankings - so speed is obviously something that should be considered when developing any website. One of the most popular tools for webmasters, including those using Shopify themes, is Google’s PageSpeed Insights service, which seeks out and identifies ways to improve your website’s page loading speed and related factors - but how much weight should you give to the advice this (or a similar) tool gives you? This post was updated in 2018, 20 to reflect new features in the Google PageSpeed Insights tools and changes in technology.
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