What to Know:
– Google is introducing a new metric called Interaction To Next Paint (INP) to measure the loading speed of web pages.
– INP measures the time it takes for a web page to become interactive after the user clicks on a link.
– INP is an important metric because it directly impacts user experience and can affect search rankings.
– There are several free tools available to help optimize INP scores and improve website performance.
The Full Story:
Google is always looking for ways to improve the user experience on the web, and one of the ways they are doing this is by introducing a new metric called Interaction To Next Paint (INP). INP measures the time it takes for a web page to become interactive after the user clicks on a link. This metric is important because it directly impacts user experience and can affect search rankings.
To help website owners optimize their INP scores and improve website performance, there are several free tools available. Here are five tools that can help you get ready for Google’s INP metric:
1. Lighthouse
Lighthouse is an open-source tool developed by Google that helps website owners improve the quality of their web pages. It provides audits for performance, accessibility, progressive web apps, and more. Lighthouse can be used to measure and optimize INP scores by analyzing the loading speed and interactivity of web pages.
2. PageSpeed Insights
PageSpeed Insights is another tool developed by Google that provides insights into the performance of web pages. It analyzes the content of a web page and generates suggestions for improving its performance. PageSpeed Insights can be used to identify and fix issues that may be affecting the INP score of a web page.
3. WebPageTest
WebPageTest is a free online tool that allows you to test the performance of your web pages from multiple locations around the world. It provides detailed performance reports, including metrics like first contentful paint, time to interactive, and more. WebPageTest can be used to measure and optimize INP scores by identifying performance bottlenecks and suggesting improvements.
4. Chrome DevTools
Chrome DevTools is a set of web developer tools built into the Google Chrome browser. It provides a wide range of features for debugging, profiling, and optimizing web pages. Chrome DevTools can be used to measure and optimize INP scores by analyzing the loading and rendering performance of web pages.
5. Web Vitals Extension
Web Vitals Extension is a Chrome extension developed by Google that helps you measure and understand the performance of your web pages. It provides real-time metrics like largest contentful paint, cumulative layout shift, and more. Web Vitals Extension can be used to monitor and optimize INP scores by identifying performance issues and suggesting improvements.
By using these free tools, website owners can optimize their INP scores and improve the loading speed and interactivity of their web pages. This can lead to a better user experience and potentially higher search rankings. It’s important to stay ahead of the competition by keeping up with the latest metrics and optimizing your website accordingly.
Original article: https://www.searchenginejournal.com/inp-tools/507355/