Key metrics to track website performance

Are you tracking your website’s performance by the number of visits or how quickly the site loads? It’s time to think again, because other websites in the market are doing so much more. The performance of your website depends on how your site interacts with users, how it behaves under various conditions, and how those factors directly impact your business goals.

You might know some of the metrics that help you analyze your site performance. Here are the advanced key metrics that will help you boost your site’s performance in the right way.

Key metrics to track website performance

Page load time - What impacts website speed

Page load time measures how long it takes for your entire webpage to load and display all elements to the user. Long load times are a major cause of bounce, high abandonment rates, and low user engagement. However, fast load times don’t just improve user experience. They also directly affect SEO rankings and conversions.

Instead of only tracking the total load time, break it down into critical path elements (e.g., HTML, CSS, JS, images). Use lazy loading for images and deferred JavaScript to prioritize important resources. Analyzing resource loading timelines can pinpoint bottlenecks. Use WEMASY’s analytic tools to test the page load time across multiple locations, devices, and network conditions, and identify where optimizations can be made.

Time to First Byte (TTFB): Diagnose the server issues early

Time to First Byte (TTFB) measures the time between when a user requests a page and the first byte of data is received by the browser. This is a critical indicator of how responsive the server is. A TTFB of under 200 ms is considered ideal for performance.

If the TTFB is high, it indicates backend issues such as slow server configurations, inefficient database queries, or network latency. If TTFB is high, the user will experience delays in loading content, even if the rest of the page loads quickly. Use WEMASY’s analytic tools to monitor, track, and resolve backend bottlenecks.

Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Make your content visible fast

LCP measures when the largest visible content element on a page (such as an image, video, or text block) finishes loading and appears on the screen. It is one of the core web vitals that affects both user experience and SEO. Fast LCP ensures that your site’s key content appears quickly, improving the user experience and contributing to better SEO rankings.

A delay in LCP means users perceive the site as slow. Monitor LCP through real-time performance data or audits, with a focus on optimizing large content elements for quicker visibility.

First Input Delay (FID): Measure user engagement

First Input Delay, commonly called FID, is the measure of the time between a user’s first interaction (click, tap, or keyboard input) and the browser’s response. High FID means sluggish interactivity, which frustrates users, especially on mobile devices.

Track FID via WEMASY’s tools. Focus on mobile and cross-browser performance to optimize interactions across devices.

Bounce rate: Monitor the visitor’s engagement

Bounce rate measures the percentage of visitors who leave the site after viewing only one page. Bounce rate is often seen as a negative metric, but it doesn’t always reflect poor performance. For example, landing pages designed for specific conversions (such as forms or single-product pages) may have high bounce rates but still result in valuable conversions.

Instead of focusing solely on bounce rate, evaluate how bounce rate correlates with conversion rates. If a high bounce rate corresponds with a successful conversion (like form submissions or checkout completions), this is not necessarily bad. Track the visitor’s behavior and monitor bounce rates across different landing pages and traffic sources using WEMASY’s tools.

Session duration: Understand what the user does on your site

Session duration tracks how long a user stays on your website during a visit. Long session times generally suggest that users are finding your content valuable and are interacting with multiple pages on your site. Short sessions can indicate poor performance, irrelevant content, or frustration.

At WEMASY, you can watch the session recording and see what the user is doing on your site. You can see what works for the user and what does not, so you can relook at your user journeys.

Tracking the right metrics is essential for understanding your website's performance. It’s not just about speed; it’s about how users interact with your site, how quickly they can complete desired actions, and how your website performs under various conditions. Try the tool today and see how you can boost your website’s performance.