Joomla Google Lighthouse/PageSpeed Optimization using Route 66

In this blog post we will talk about Joomla Google Lighthouse/PageSpeed Optimizaton. We will show you how you can make your Joomla site score high in Google Lighthouse and Google PageSpeed Insights in just three simple steps using Route 66 extension.

Joomla Google Lighthouse/PageSpeed - Why it matters

You may have heard many times that your site's speed is one of the most important factors when it comes to SEO. You may also know that a fast site can make you increase your conversion rate. 

In this tutorial we will show you how you can optimize your Joomla site for  Google Lighthouse and Google PageSpeed Insights in three simple steps. Let's begin:

Step 1 - Download and Install Route 66 for Joomla

There are many extensions out there which promise to optimize Joomla for Google Lighthouse and Google PageSpeed Insights. We are going to use the best one, our fabulous Route 66 for Joomla. The free version includes all the functionality regarding Google PageSpeed Insights so there is no need to get a subscription. Just visit the extension page, download it and install it as you would with any other Joomla extension.

Step 2 - Setup

After installing Route 66 for Joomla navigate to "Components" -> "Route 66" and click on the "Options" button. The setup is very quick. Just locate the tab named "Google PageSpeed" and configure the following options:

• Optimize Javascript: Set this to "Yes".
• Javascript Optimization Method: Set this to "File"
• Optimize CSS: Set this to "Yes".
• Minify CSS: Set this to "Yes". If the CSS files of your site are already minified you can set this to "No".
• Cache Time: Set this to "15".
• Exclusions: Leave this blank.

Here is how the options should look like:

Remember to save the options before moving to the next step.

Step 3 - Test your site 

Navigate to "Components" -> "Route 66" -> "Google PageSpeed" and click on the button "Analyze your site with Google PageSpeed". Your site should achieve a score of 90 or higher depending on your setup! Finally, visit your site to ensure that all pages are working as expected. If you face any issues just play around with the options. You can use the "Exclusions" option to disable Google PageSpeed Optimization for some components.

Final Words

It's that easy to improve your site's ranking in Google Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights using Route 66 for Joomla. You should always keep in mind that in order to achieve an extreme high score you should also tweak your server settings. But regarding the application layer, Route 66 is the most simple and easy to use solution for Joomla Google Lighthouse/PageSpeed optimization.