Enhancements to DigiDream’s PageSpeed Insights: Introducing Data Collection Periods

In a groundbreaking update, Google has introduced data collection period visibility to PageSpeed Insights (PSI), addressing a long-standing concern among developers. This improvement aims to provide a clearer understanding of Chrome User Experience Report (CrUX) metrics, which are paramount for assessing website performance.

The change was announced by Barry Pollard, Web Performance Developer Advocate at Google Chrome, on the social platform X. Pollard responded to critiques about the absence of data collection period visibility, stating: “Good post. But this thing bugged us: ‘Unfortunately, PageSpeed Insights does not show the data collection period in their UI.’ You know what—they’re right! That’s been fixed in PSI now.”

Understanding the Changes in PSI

The CrUX data in PSI is derived from the 75th percentile of user visits, using a rolling 28-day window with a two-day delay.

For example, testing on January 5 would cover data from December 7 to January 3.

Previously, this detail was lacking, often leaving developers to deduce the timeframe themselves via Chrome DevTools. The recent update now features the data collection period centrally within the PSI interface, simplifying the process of contextualizing metrics.

The Importance of CrUX Data

CrUX data holds immense significance as it measures user experience in real-world scenarios, and it also plays a role in Google’s ranking factors. Understanding the timeframe of this data collection enables developers to efficiently track the impact of their optimizations and subsequent improvements.

CrUX Data Across Various Google Tools

PageSpeed Insights (PSI): Offers data for URLs or entire sites at an origin level, with a 28-day range and two-day delay.

Google Search Console: This platform collates CrUX data by grouping related pages, rather than focusing on individual URLs, which might lead to confusion.

BigQuery: Provides comprehensive monthly CrUX data, with additional details like histograms and geographical distribution, updated approximately 10 days past each month’s end.

This update not only enhances the transparency of PageSpeed Insights but also simplifies developers’ tasks by offering clearer insights into performance metrics driven by real-user data.

At DigiDream, we’re excited about incorporating these advancements into our SEO practices, boosting our ability to optimize client websites for improved performance and search rankings.

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