Inconsistent PageSpeed Score

Hello Lightspeed Support Team,

I am writing to request assistance with a persistent and significant performance issue on my website. After a full cache purge, my site initially scores very well on Google PageSpeed Insights, but subsequent tests show a dramatic drop in performance.

1. The Core Problem

My website experiences a performance score degradation over time.

• After Clearing Cache: The site achieves a mobile PageSpeed score of 90+.
  • Example Good Report: https://pagespeed.web.dev/analysis/https-www-mecooks-com/qyi31rmc8w?form_factor=mobile
• A Short Time Later: Without any changes to the site, subsequent tests show the mobile score dropping to anywhere between 30 and 60. The Core Web Vitals, particularly LCP and TBT, worsen significantly.
  • Example Poor Report: https://pagespeed.web.dev/analysis/https-www-mecooks-com/uimzqbjtaw?form_factor=mobile

This pattern is repeatable and suggests an issue with how the cache is being generated, served, or maintained after the initial “warm-up.”

2. My Environment & Configuration

To provide as much context as possible, here is a detailed breakdown of my setup:

• Lightspeed Report Number: JNKDNICM

Caching & Optimization Setup:

1. Lightspeed Cache Plugin:
   • Preset: Currently using the Aggressive preset.
2. Server-Level Caching:
   • My hosting provider has an automatic server-side cache enabled. I have limited control over its settings.
3. CDN Caching:
   • The CDN is active and handling traffic. I clear its cache when I run my tests.
4. Other Optimization Plugins:
   • Asset Cleanup Pro: Used to dequeue unused CSS/JS on a per-page basis. I have configured it carefully to avoid removing necessary assets.

3. Troubleshooting Steps Already Taken

I have already attempted the following to diagnose the issue:

• Flushed All Caches: I have consistently flushed the LS Cache, server cache, and CDN cache to replicate the issue.
• Contacted Hosting: I reached out to my hosting provider, but they were unable to identify a server-side issue and suggested the problem lies with the plugin configuration.
• Ran Multiple Tests: I have run tests from different locations and times to confirm the performance drop is not a one-off anomaly.

4. Specific Questions for the Team

Given the details above, I would be grateful if you could help me with the following:

1. Potential Conflicts: Is there a known conflict or a recommended configuration when using Lightspeed Cache (especially with aggressive settings) alongside a server-level cache and a separate CDN?
2. Configuration Check: Based on my report number (JNKDNICM), can you see any obvious misconfigurations in my settings that would cause this behavior? Are there specific settings within the “Aggressive” preset I should consider disabling?
3. Cache Generation: Could this issue be related to the LS Cache crawler? Perhaps it’s not warming up pages fast enough, or it’s being interfered with by the server cache?
4. Best Practices: What is the best practice for layering these three types of cache (Plugin, Server, CDN)? Should one layer be disabled, or should they be configured to work in a specific harmony?

Thank you for your time and expertise. I am eager to get this resolved and am available to provide any further information or grant access if needed.

• This topic was modified 6 months ago by jkozakpl.

The page I need help with: [log in to see the link]