Google Analytics 4 (GA4) recently upgraded, removing the Page Timings report, a crucial tool in identifying slow-loading website pages. Nonetheless, GA4 still holds several options for tracking website load times, including alternatives like the Event Timings report and the largest contentful paint (LCP) metric.
The Google Search Console (GSC) introduced the Core Web Vitals report. However, it’s not as comprehensive in listing accessed URLs or supporting easy data export. To supplement GSC, webmasters can utilize diverse SEO tools, offering more detailed information and straightforward data export. Screaming Frog, a subscription-based tool, is one of them.
Despite the occasional delays in updating, Google Search Console offers rich insight into your website’s visibility on Google, enabling real-time tracking of Google Search queries and indexing status. There are several other versatile marketing toolkits like SEMRush and Moz Pro that provide a comprehensive suite of SEO features to boost a website’s efficiency.
Screaming Frog comes with the slight inconvenience of desktop dependency but compensates for it with robust features like scheduling regular site audits and thorough SEO audits.
Adapting to Google Analytics 4’s updates
Email notifications can be set up for any deviation from expected data, making tracking changes and monitoring improvements considerably easier.
Ahrefs is another popular tool known for backlink tracking and site audits. However, it can be technical for beginners. Semrush, on the contrary, is substantially more user-friendly, offering a broad scope for keyword research and exhaustive insight into organic competition.
Alongside monitoring, the use of these tools should be extended to gather insights and improve your website’s performance. Regular site audits using these tools can unearth potential for optimization while highlighting issues that might damage your site’s performance.
While the Page Timings report may have its limitations, a plethora of other tools like Google’s Lighthouse, GTmetrix, and Pingdom provide detailed page speed and performance information. Each tool comes with unique features offering insights into how a webpage’s performance can be improved. In combination, these tools offer a well-rounded understanding of webpage performance, despite any single tool’s shortfalls.
