PageSpeed Insights 100 – does it matter?

 4 min read

Google PageSpeed Insights is one of the most cited tools in the e-commerce world. Store owners, developers, and SEO specialists often chase the perfect 100/100 score, convinced it directly translates to higher Google rankings and more sales. But is it really worth investing time and money to earn that “green score”? Let’s break it down.

What is PageSpeed Insights and what does it measure?

PageSpeed Insights (PSI) is a tool by Google that analyzes page load speed on both mobile and desktop devices and gives a score from 0 to 100. This score is based on:

• Lab data (simulated load performance)
• Field data (Chrome UX Report, if available)
• Recommendations for improvement (e.g., image optimization, JavaScript efficiency, missing lazy loading, etc.)

The score is a helpful indicator, but not a goal in itself.

Does a PageSpeed Insights score matter?

No. The PSI score by itself is not a ranking factor. Google does not rank pages based on the color of your PSI dial.

What really matters are:

• Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID/INP, CLS) – actual user experience
• Real page load time (not simulated)
• Page stability and interactivity

Improving the PSI recommendations can help with Core Web Vitals but does not guarantee better rankings. In fact, optimizing too aggressively for a perfect PSI score can hurt UX (e.g., excessive lazy loading or over-compressed images).

Which PSI suggestions are worth acting on?

Here are some areas from PSI that do make a real difference and are worth fixing:

1. Uncompressed images – oversized JPGs/PNGs seriously slow down load times.
2. Missing browser caching or GZIP/Brotli compression – easy server-level wins.
3. Too much external JavaScript – third-party plugins, trackers, and chats add bloat.
4. No lazy loading for images – avoid loading 100 images on page load.
5. Web font loading issues – missing preload or render-blocking fonts.

But trying to remove every “unused CSS” warning in your e-commerce theme can cost dozens of dev hours with nearly zero effect on sales or rankings.

What about the user?

This is the most important point. In real life, customers don’t see if your PSI score is 76 or 99. They do notice:

• if the site loads quickly,
• if nothing jumps around on the screen,
• if they can easily add a product to the cart and check out.

If your store loads in under 3 seconds and feels smooth on mobile, you’re already ahead of most competitors. It’s not PSI that makes sales, it’s UX and content.

When is it not worth chasing a higher score?

• If your WooCommerce site shows 50–70 in PSI – that’s normal.
• If improvements break UX (e.g., slow-loading product images or fonts).
• If optimization costs outweigh potential benefits.
• If your traffic comes mostly from paid ads, not SEO.

Summary

A perfect 100/100 PageSpeed Insights score is not the end goal. It’s a tool, not a certificate of SEO quality. Fix the things that matter for real performance and UX – but don’t waste resources chasing a number.

Instead of aiming for 100, aim for a store that loads fast, runs smooth, and converts. That’s what builds your business – not a green badge from Google.