How to Run a Speed Test
Performance work starts with a clean measurement.
This page gives you a repeatable testing routine you can use on any WordPress site.
Pick the page you’ll test
Section titled “Pick the page you’ll test”Don’t test the homepage only.
Pick one real page that represents your site:
- a blog post
- a product page (WooCommerce)
- a landing page with sliders/forms
- the heaviest page users actually visit
If you test random pages every time, your results won’t be comparable.
Use two tools (not five)
Section titled “Use two tools (not five)”Use one “quick” tool and one “deep” tool:
Quick (good for repeated checks)
Section titled “Quick (good for repeated checks)”- PageSpeed Insights (mobile)
Deep (good for diagnosis)
Section titled “Deep (good for diagnosis)”- WebPageTest or DebugBear (waterfall)
The goal is not “more tools”.
The goal is consistency.
Run tests the right way
Section titled “Run tests the right way”1) Run at least 3 tests
Section titled “1) Run at least 3 tests”Performance varies. Networks vary.
Run 3 tests and look for patterns.
2) Always test mobile first
Section titled “2) Always test mobile first”Mobile is harder:
- slower CPU
- slower network
- more sensitive to JavaScript
If you can make mobile fast, desktop will follow.
3) Test with a clean browser
Section titled “3) Test with a clean browser”If you’re testing manually:
- Incognito window
- no extensions
- no logged-in admin bar
What to record
Section titled “What to record”Create a simple note and record:
- URL tested
- Date/time
- Tool used
- Mobile score (optional)
- TTFB
- LCP
- CLS
- INP
- Notes about what stands out (big images, long server response, JS blocking)
You want a “before” snapshot you can compare later.
Don’t optimize yet
Section titled “Don’t optimize yet”If you see a bad score, resist the urge to fix things immediately.
First, you want to understand:
- Is it a server issue (TTFB)?
- Is it a rendering issue (LCP)?
- Is it layout shifting (CLS)?
- Is it interaction delay (INP)?
That’s the Diagnose step.
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”- Learn what the key metrics actually mean: TTFB, LCP, CLS, INP
- Then move to: Waterfall Analysis to identify the real bottleneck