Achieving a perfect score on Google PageSpeed Insights is crucial for enhancing user experience and boosting SEO rankings. For those using HubSpot, this goal is entirely achievable with the right strategies. In this guide, we will delve into what HubSpot optimizes for you and what you need to take care of to reach that coveted score of 100 on both mobile and desktop.
Table of Contents
Things That HubSpot Already Optimizes for You
HubSpot’s CMS is designed to handle a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to website performance. Here are some key areas HubSpot already optimizes:
1. CDN and SSL Integration
HubSpot automatically uses a Content Delivery Network (CDN) to distribute your content globally, ensuring faster load times regardless of the user's location. Additionally, HubSpot provides SSL certificates for secure data transmission, which also contributes to SEO and trustworthiness.
2. Image Optimization
HubSpot’s CMS includes automatic image compression and supports modern image formats like WebP, which help reduce image sizes without compromising quality. This ensures that your images load quickly.
3. Caching
HubSpot employs various caching mechanisms to speed up content delivery. This includes server-side caching and browser caching for static resources, which reduces the load on your servers and speeds up page rendering for repeat visitors.
4. Lazy Loading
HubSpot supports lazy loading of images and iframes, ensuring that they only load when they are in the viewport. This reduces the initial load time and improves the user experience.
5. Minification of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
HubSpot automatically minifies HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files, which helps reduce file sizes and speeds up the load time of your web pages.
6. AMP (Accelerated Mobile Pages) Support
HubSpot offers support for AMP, which is a framework designed to make mobile pages load faster by stripping down unnecessary content and optimizing necessary elements.
7. Built-in Performance Monitoring
HubSpot provides performance monitoring tools that allow you to keep track of your site’s speed and identify areas that need improvement.
8. Advanced SEO Tools
HubSpot includes advanced SEO tools that automatically optimize meta tags, headings, and content structure to improve site performance and search engine ranking.
9. Optimized Hosting Environment
HubSpot’s hosting environment is optimized for performance with high-availability infrastructure, reducing downtime and improving server response times.
Things That You Should Optimize
While HubSpot handles many optimizations automatically, there are several areas where you can take additional steps to ensure your site scores 100 on PageSpeed Insights.
1. Further Image Optimization
- Use Correct Formats: Convert images to modern formats like WebP for better compression.
- Manual Compression: Use tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim to further reduce file sizes before uploading.
- Specify Dimensions: Always specify width and height for images to avoid layout shifts.
2. Minimize and Defer JavaScript
- Defer Non-essential Scripts: Ensure that non-critical JavaScript is deferred until after the main content is loaded. You can do this by adding the
deferattribute to your script tags.
3. Optimize CSS Delivery
- Inline Critical CSS: Inline the CSS required for above-the-fold content directly in the HTML to speed up rendering.
- Load CSS Asynchronously: Use the
media="print"attribute and JavaScript to load CSS files asynchronously.
4. Remove Unused Code
- Clean Up HTML, CSS, and JS: Remove any unused or redundant code from your files. This can be achieved by auditing your codebase and using tools like PurifyCSS.
- Audit HubSpot Plugins: Regularly review and remove any unused HubSpot plugins and integrations that may add unnecessary load to your site.
5. Improve Web Font Loading
- Preload Fonts: Use the
link rel="preload"attribute to preload important fonts. - Font Display Swap: Use the
font-display: swap;property to ensure text remains visible during web font loading.
6. Custom Code Optimization
- Avoid Drag-and-Drop Editor: While HubSpot’s drag-and-drop editor is convenient, it can lead to bloated code. Work with developers to create custom modules and templates optimized for performance.
- Efficient HTML and CSS: Ensure your custom code is clean, efficient, and free of unnecessary elements.
7. Optimize Above-the-Fold Content
- Prioritize Content: Ensure that critical content visible above the fold loads first. This improves the perceived load time for users. Consider preloading images that appear in the top-fold.
- Lazy Load Below-the-Fold Content: Load content that appears below the fold only when the user scrolls down. This reduces the initial load time and improves performance metrics.
8. Monitor and Test Regularly
- Regular PageSpeed Audits: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to regularly audit your site and identify new performance issues.
- Continuous Improvement: Implement a continuous improvement plan to address performance issues promptly as they arise.
Conclusion
By leveraging HubSpot’s built-in optimizations and taking additional steps to fine-tune your site, you can achieve a perfect score on Google PageSpeed Insights. Focus on further optimizing images, minimizing and deferring JavaScript, optimizing CSS delivery, leveraging browser caching, enabling compression, removing unused code, improving web font loading, optimizing custom code, and prioritizing above-the-fold content. Regular monitoring and testing will ensure your site remains optimized for both mobile and desktop users.
Implement these strategies and watch your HubSpot site’s performance soar, providing a faster, more efficient, and user-friendly experience for your visitors. Happy optimizing!
If you need further assistance or have any questions, feel free to reach out. We're here to help you achieve the best possible performance for your HubSpot site!