Why PageSpeed Insights Flags Squarespace Images (and What It Means for SEO)

Why This Matters

Ever wondered why, after spending hours getting your Squarespace site just right, Google’s PageSpeed Insights (PSI) comes along waving a red flag about your images, specifically, “Serve images in next-gen formats”? It’s frustrating. Especially when you know Squarespace is meant to handle all that technical stuff for you. You’re running your business or portfolio, not moonlighting as a web developer. Each time that warning pops up, you worry: Is this hurting my SEO? Have I missed something crucial? Worse, you might burn half a day tweaking things that don’t actually need fixing, chasing your tail and getting nowhere.

Dealing with these warnings is more than just an annoyance. Worrying about them wastes time, and that time could be better spent serving clients, updating your work, or, frankly, enjoying your evening. If you’re considering hiring someone to “fix it”, it could cost serious money; usually, there’s little tangible benefit from those fixes.

Let’s break down where these warnings really come from, why they don’t always matter, and how you can make sure your Squarespace site is genuinely running well rather than just chasing a score.

Common Pitfalls

Here’s where most Squarespace users take a wrong turn:

• Assuming PSI warnings always mean there’s a problem. When you see that message about next-gen images, the knee-jerk reaction is to panic. You might try bulk image converters, install questionable browser extensions, or worry that your DIY site is doomed for the Google wilderness.
• Focusing on the wrong metrics. People get obsessed with fixing every minor suggestion from PSI instead of watching the real numbers that actually move the needle for Google’s rankings.
• Trusting the tool over reality. PageSpeed Insights is a simulation. It doesn’t always see what your visitors do. If you take every warning as gospel, you’ll end up in a never-ending cycle of chasing the perfect score instead of building a site that actually works for real humans.

Many people also expect Squarespace to resolve these issues entirely. While Squarespace handles most of it, there are still some quirks to be aware of.

Step-by-Step Fix

Before you stress-buy an expensive speed-optimisation add-on or start compressing every image into oblivion, try these practical steps.

1. Check What PSI is Actually Reporting

First, don’t leap into action just because you see a red or orange warning. Look closely at what PSI is flagging.

Often, PSI will say your images aren’t delivered in WebP format (that’s Google’s preferred image type for newer browsers), but Squarespace already provides WebP to browsers that can handle it. Instead, the tool might be analysing fallback images (JPEG or PNG) that older browsers need, not what most of your users actually see.

How to check:

• Run your site through PSI.
• Scroll to the “Opportunities” section and expand the “Serve images in next-gen formats” warning.
• Note which images PSI is grumbling about, and download one using the links PSI provides.
• Open that image in your browser, right-click, and select “Save image as…” If the filename ends in .webp, you’re all set.
• If you see .jpg or .png, check which browser you’re using: if it’s a modern version of Chrome, Safari, or Edge, it should support WebP anyway.

2. Learn What Google Really Uses for Rankings

PageSpeed Insights is just a lab test, not the final judge and jury for your rankings. Google’s search system, especially in 2024, looks at real user data from Chrome browsers. The important metrics are Core Web Vitals, especially Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), which measures how quickly your biggest piece of content loads for actual humans.

How to check your real numbers:

• Open Google Search Console (your site must be verified).
• Go to the “Core Web Vitals” report.
• Look for any URLs marked as “Poor” or “Needs Improvement”.
• Ignore lab tools for a minute and trust this real-world data.

If your Core Web Vitals are green across the board, you don’t need to worry about the PSI warnings unless you notice a real issue below.

3. Optimise Images Before Uploading to Squarespace

Squarespace can’t resize and optimise images before upload. It will resize and convert images for web use, but if you upload a 10MB photo taken straight from your phone, it will still be slow for everyone. In this case, PSI may correctly flag your images.

Best practices:

• Resize images to the largest size they’ll be displayed at. If your blog feature image only ever shows at 1400px wide, don’t upload a 4000px wide version.
• Use free tools like Squoosh, ImageOptim, or even the default “Export for Web” in Photoshop.
• Aim for image file sizes under 500KB for main banners, or ideally closer to 200KB for smaller in-post images.

When you upload these optimised images to Squarespace, it handles conversion to modern formats for most browsers and provides fallback formats for older ones.

4. Audit Key Pages, Not Just Your Homepage

It’s tempting to only check the homepage, but Google and PSI will score your whole site. This scrutiny is especially focused on critical landing pages and top blog posts. Some of your pages might hide large images you forgot about months ago.

How to audit:

• Run the top five landing pages through PSI—focus on pages bringing in search traffic, not just your homepage.
• Look for any repeat offenders: huge image files, messy imported blog photos, or PNGs where a JPEG/WebP would do.
• Tweak or replace images only on those pages rather than spending hours bulk-converting your entire library.

5. Use PSI as Your Scout, Not Your Overlord

PageSpeed Insights is helpful for surfacing possible problems, but it doesn’t know your actual audience, devices, or internet connections. If a warning appears and your genuine Core Web Vitals are in the green, you’re already doing better than many big-name brands.

Let PSI inform your fixes. Save your energy for addressing real bottlenecks, such as massive images that slow LCP, or missing image alt text for accessibility.

What Most People Miss

People often run through PSI, chase perfect scores, and fret over warnings that barely move the needle. The real challenge is paying attention to what truly impacts rankings and user experience, and not getting distracted by dashboard metrics.

Want to sound like you know what you’re doing on a client call or in the Q&A forum? Quote this: “Google cares more about Core Web Vitals data from actual visitors than synthetic lab results.” Squarespace sorts the WebP issue for almost everyone; your job is keeping images lean and watching the numbers that really matter.

If you’re still hunting for perfect PageSpeed scores, see it as a nudge to check image quality, but avoid panic. No one converts a visitor based solely on achieving 98 instead of 91 in a lab score.

The Bigger Picture

Once you stop fixating on every PSI warning, you get your evenings back. Instead of chasing phantom errors, you’re free to focus on better photos, clearer copy, and actually growing your site. Visitors will have a fast, smooth experience, and you avoid getting sidetracked by technical “problems” that aren’t genuine issues.

You’ll also save money by not paying someone to “fix your PageSpeed Insights score” for a fee. Often those fixes introduce unnecessary complexity or plugins you don’t need.

Keep your image sizes under control, monitor your Core Web Vitals, and treat scoring tools as advice rather than absolute mandates. This way, you build a proper professional site, not just a high number on someone else’s tool.

Jargon Buster

• WebP: An image format by Google, smaller and usually sharper than JPEG or PNG. Modern browsers support it, meaning images load faster and use less data.
• Fallback Image: A backup, like JPEG or PNG, that gets served to users on older browsers that can’t handle WebP yet.
• PSI (PageSpeed Insights): Google’s testing tool for page speed. Useful, but not the actual judge of your site’s rankings.
• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): A Core Web Vitals metric showing how long it takes for the main chunk of your page to be ready. Key for the all-important Google user experience score.
• Core Web Vitals: Google’s set of speed and usability scores taken from actual Chrome users visiting your site. Now the industry standard.

FAQs

Why does PageSpeed Insights say my Squarespace images aren’t next-gen, even though I’m using Squarespace?
Squarespace delivers WebP images to modern browsers, but PSI sometimes checks the fallback JPEG/PNG versions for older browsers. This isn’t usually a real problem.

Do these PSI image warnings hurt my Google rankings on Squarespace?
No, not directly. Google uses real-world Core Web Vitals from Chrome users, not just lab test warnings. Fix real slowdowns, not just warnings.

What should I do if PageSpeed Insights says images are too big?
Check whether you’ve uploaded very large images. Optimise images to a sensible size before uploading to Squarespace (ideally under 500KB for feature images) to avoid genuine slowdowns.

If PSI warns about image formats, do I need a plugin or external optimiser?
No. Squarespace handles WebP for you. Focus on shrinking image sizes before upload, not buying new software.

How do I know if my site is fast for users, not just in PSI?
Check your Core Web Vitals report in Google Search Console. If those metrics are green, you’re in a strong place.

Key Things to Remember

• Don’t panic when you see “Serve images in next-gen formats” in PSI. Squarespace delivers WebP where it counts.
• Real user data (Core Web Vitals) matters far more for your rankings than a perfect PSI score.
• Compress and resize images before uploading to Squarespace to keep everything running fast and smooth.
• Focus on your high-traffic pages first if you’re making improvements.
• Use tools like PSI for ideas, but always check actual site speed from your audience’s point of view.

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