KeywordNumbers
Back to Blog
Performance & Speed

How to Identify Slow Loading Resources with an Internet Speed Analyser

Graham keywordnumbersJuly 10, 20266 min read
How to Identify Slow Loading Resources with an Internet Speed Analyser

If you’ve ever wondered why a website feels sluggish or why certain pages take ages to load, you’re not alone. In this guide, you’ll learn how to identify slow loading resources using an internet speed analyser, how to interpret results, and practical steps to speed up your site—without technical jargon.

Why Website Speed Matters

Nobody likes waiting. A slow site frustrates users, harms your SEO, and can even reduce sales or signups. Even a one-second delay can mean lost visitors. That’s why monitoring your website’s speed and resource loading times is vital for SEOs, marketers, bloggers, and site owners.

What Is Resource Loading?

Resource loading refers to how your web browser fetches and displays the files needed for a website—like images, scripts, stylesheets, and fonts. Each request takes time. If some resources are large, unoptimised, or slow to respond, your whole page slows down.

  • Common types of resources:*
  • Images (JPEG, PNG, GIF, SVG)
  • CSS files (stylesheets)
  • JavaScript files (scripts)
  • Web fonts
  • Videos and audio
  • Third-party content (ads, widgets)
  • How to Identify Slow Loading Resources

    The first step to fixing a slow site is pinpointing which files are dragging performance down. Here’s how to do it:

    1. Use an Internet Speed Analyser

    A dedicated tool makes this easy. The KeywordNumbers Slow Resources Tool scans your web page and lists every resource, along with how long it takes to load each one. This gives you a clear view of what’s slowing things down.

    2. Analyse Load Times

    Look for resources with high load times (over 1 second is often a red flag). Pay special attention to:

  • Large images (over 500 KB)
  • Uncompressed JavaScript or CSS
  • External scripts (analytics, ads)
  • Fonts loading from third parties
  • Example output:*
  • ResourceSizeLoad Time
    /images/hero-banner.jpg1.2 MB2.4 sec
    /scripts/app.js350 KB0.9 sec
    https://fonts.googleapis.com/font50 KB1.1 sec
    /css/styles.css75 KB0.3 sec
    /images/logo.png18 KB0.1 sec

    In this table, the hero image and Google font are taking the longest to load—prime candidates for optimisation.

    3. Compare Performance (Metric and Imperial)

    Let’s say your total page size is 2.5 MB (megabytes). To put that in perspective:

  • 2.5 MB ≈ 2,560 KB (kilobytes) ≈ 20,971,520 bits
  • 2.5 MB ≈ 0.0024 GB (gigabytes)
  • 2.5 MB ≈ 0.088 oz (ounces), if we whimsically compare digital data to physical weight (for illustration)
  • On a 20 Mbps (megabits per second) connection, this would load in:

  • 2.5 MB × 8 = 20 Mb / 20 Mbps = 1 second (in theory)
  • But if some resources are slow, total load time can be much higher—especially on slower connections (e.g., rural UK, regional Australia, or US heartland).

    How to Fix Slow Loading

    Once you’ve identified the culprits using the slow resources analyser, take these steps:

  • Optimise images: Compress or resize them. Tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim help a lot.
  • Minify scripts and CSS: Remove unnecessary spaces, comments, and code to reduce file size.
  • Use efficient file formats: Prefer WebP for images if supported.
  • Defer or async load scripts: Only load scripts when needed, or after the main content.
  • Leverage browser caching: Help repeat visitors load resources faster.
  • Host files locally: Reduce reliance on slow third-party servers.
  • Real-World Example

    Suppose your homepage loads in 6 seconds, and the KeywordNumbers Slow Resources Tool reveals:

  • Hero image: 1.8 MB, 3.5 seconds
  • Custom font: 100 KB, 1.2 seconds
  • Analytics script: 90 KB, 0.7 seconds
  • Fixes:*
  • Compress hero image to 350 KB (<0.35 MB, or about 0.012 oz)
  • Use a system font instead of custom web font
  • Load analytics script asynchronously
  • Result:* Load time drops to 2.1 seconds—a huge improvement for both users and search engines.
  • Questions People Are Actually Asking

    How to fix slow loading?

    First, identify which resources (like images, scripts, or fonts) are slow using a speed analyser. Then, compress images, minify code, remove unnecessary plugins, and use browser caching to improve speed.

    Why is loading so slow?

    Loading may be slow due to large or poorly optimised files, slow server response, too many external scripts, or network issues. Analysing resource load times pinpoints the source of delays.

    What is resource loading?

    Resource loading is the process of a browser fetching all files needed to display a webpage, such as images, scripts, and stylesheets. If any are slow, the whole page can be delayed.

    How to fix slow website loading?

    Use a tool like the KeywordNumbers Slow Resources Tool to identify problem files. Optimise images, minify scripts, enable caching, and reduce third-party content to speed up your site.

    Why is Reddit loading so slow?

    Reddit (or any site) might load slowly due to high traffic, server issues, large media files, or problematic browser extensions. Checking resource load times with an analyser can help diagnose the cause.

    Why do some websites load slow?

    Some sites are slow because of oversized images, poorly coded scripts, too many ads, or servers located far from the user. Identifying and fixing these issues is key to improving speed.

    Why is everything loading slow?

    If all online content is slow to load, the cause may be with your internet connection, Wi-Fi interference, or network congestion—rather than the websites themselves.

    Conclusion

    Identifying and fixing slow loading resources is one of the quickest wins for improving your website’s performance. Use an internet speed analyser like the KeywordNumbers Slow Resources Tool to get clear data, take action on the slowest files, and watch your site speed up for everyone—no matter where they are in the world.

  • Ready to make your site faster? Analyse your site’s slow resources now!*
  • Free tools to put this into practice

    Reading is one thing — testing your own pages is what moves the needle. Here are the free KeywordNumbers tools that pair best with this guide:

  • Page Speed Analyser — test how fast a page loads and see exactly what is slowing it down.
  • Slow Resource Finder — pinpoint the images and scripts dragging your load time down.
  • Internet Speed Test — check your own connection speed before you blame the website.
  • Every one of our free SEO tools is genuinely free to use, with no sign-up required.

    Ready to research your keywords?

    Try our free keyword tools — no signup required.