Google Lighthouse Report Template

Why Your Agency Needs a Google Lighthouse Report Template

The Google Lighthouse report template isn’t just a reporting tool; it’s an asset and a competitive advantage for marketing agencies who want to present data-driven insights with precision and speed. 

Every billable hour counts at a marketing agency, and spending those hours on manual data compilation is not viable as you scale. The Lighthouse report template automates the grunt work, freeing up your team to focus on what really matters—SEO strategy and client engagement.

It’s not enough to just install Lighthouse; turning those data points into actionable insights and proving how your agency is moving the needle is essential. Whether you’re analyzing site speed, accessibility, or overall SEO performance, these templates offer a standardized way to maintain the quality and reliability of every report you deliver, making your agency the go-to expert in a crowded marketplace.

8 Key Sections To Include in Google Lighthouse Reports

1. Cover Page

Creating a professional-looking, branded report cover page sets the stage for impactful client communication, immediately establishing your agency's identity and professionalism. 

A well-designed cover not only captures attention but also reinforces your brand's credibility and expertise. This critical first impression ensures clients feel confident in your data-driven insights and strategic recommendations, making every report a testament to your agency’s meticulous attention to detail and SEO skills. 

Add dates to indicate the reporting period the data is covering, whether weekly, monthly or pertaining to a specific campaign.

2. Executive Summary 

An executive summary at the beginning of a report template distills complex data into key insights and takeaways, making it easy for clients to grasp the essence of the report at a glance. 

This summary not only saves time for busy executives but also highlights your agency’s ability to prioritize and communicate the most relevant information, enhancing decision-making and reinforcing the strategic value your agency brings to every project.

Crafting an effective Google Lighthouse report summary requires focus and simplicity to communicate key insights. Here are a few best practices to consider:

• Highlight Key Metrics: Emphasize critical data points like load time and accessibility scores to quickly convey performance impacts.

• Use Simple Language for Clarity: Clients need to understand how changes will affect their bottom line, not the technical details. Avoid going too deep into coding details or using technical jargon like 'JSON file' or 'browser extensions.'  

• Summarize Actionable Recommendations: Clearly state practical steps and priorities to improve site health and SEO on key web pages, making it easy for clients to see the path forward. 

3. Performance Score 

The Performance Score in Google Lighthouse serves as a comprehensive indicator of a site’s usability and speed. It quantifies critical aspects like first contentful paint and time to interactive, reflecting how users experience the site.

Including the overall performance score illustrates how strategic enhancements to a site's technical foundations drive improvements. It demonstrates the agency’s role in optimizing client websites, making a direct link between technical SEO efforts and improved user experiences. 

4. SEO Score 

The SEO Score metric provided by Google Lighthouse measures how well a page is optimized to be found and ranked by search engines. It checks for elements like meta tags, descriptive link text, and HTTP status codes to ensure visibility.

This is one of the most important performance scores to include in Google Lighthouse reporting. This single metric captures the culmination of meticulous optimizations, from on-page elements to structured data implementation. By presenting this score, agencies not only demonstrate their technical SEO expertise but also underline the tangible improvements made in making clients' pages more discoverable.

5. Accessibility Score 

The Accessibility Score in Google Lighthouse gauges how well a site can be navigated and understood by all users, including those with disabilities. It assesses criteria like color contrast, keyboard accessibility, and ARIA attributes for inclusivity.

Showcasing improvements in this area not only demonstrates technical compliance but also promotes a positive brand image. By prioritizing accessibility, marketing agencies prove their strategic foresight and ethical responsibility, making their services indispensable in crafting websites that cater to every user.

6. Best Practices Score 

For marketing agencies, presenting the Best Practices Score in client reports underscores their commitment to delivering cutting-edge and secure online experiences. This score validates an agency’s technical acumen, proving its capability to implement forward-thinking solutions that enhance a website’s functionality and security.

Demonstrating high scores in best practices not only reassures clients of their investment in top-tier technical expertise but also positions the agency as a leader in delivering high-quality, dependable digital environments. By focusing on these metrics, agencies communicate their dedication to excellence and their strategic role in advancing clients' web presence.

7. Load Time 

Building on the foundation of best practices, examine how these impact real-world performance, specifically through metrics like page load time. This measure directly influences user experience and satisfaction.

Reports that highlight improvements in load time demonstrate an agency's capability to leverage technical SEO best practices, such as the effective use of a progressive web app. These improvements are vital as they contribute to better performance in Google Chrome, the browser of choice for a vast majority of internet users. 

8. Core Vitals Tests 

Shifting the focus to the foundation of site usability, let's dive into the Core Web Vitals, key components that Google Lighthouse evaluates to gauge user experience quality.

Core Web Vitals in Google Lighthouse are essential tests that measure the real-world experience of a site’s visitors. They focus on three main aspects: loading performance, interactivity, and visual stability, which include metrics like First Contentful Paint, Largest Contentful Paint, and Cumulative Layout Shift. This section will also call out other issues discovered every time Lighthouse runs tests, including those that would normally appear in the Lighthouse panel. 

Customizable SEO Report Templates To Meet Client Needs

As your client’s needs evolve, comprehensive, streamlined reporting becomes mission-critical. While Google Lighthouse provides a robust foundation for understanding site performance, sometimes agencies need to dig deeper. 

Whether it's adding a specific ecommerce performance metric to connect SEO performance to bottom-line revenue, or tracking user engagement through advanced web analytics tools, the flexibility of the platform means you are never limited to just the Lighthouse metrics you might pull using the command line, Chrome devtools, node module, or Json output. Experience the freedom to customize reports exactly the way you need them. 

• Create Dedicated Lighthouse Reports: For a focused analysis of site performance and user experience metrics, generate dedicated Lighthouse reports that provide granular details on various website performance metrics.

• Incorporate a Lighthouse Tab in Broader Reports: Effortlessly add a Lighthouse tab to an existing SEO report or dashboard. This integration takes seconds and allows for a holistic view that combines Lighthouse insights with other critical website performance data.

Once you’ve selected the most important metrics for your clients, share reports online to enhance transparency and collaboration. Present customized reports to ensure that all stakeholders easily access and review performance data in real-time, fostering a proactive approach to website optimization and strategic refinement. 

Streamline Reporting With Google Lighthouse Report Templates and Focus on What Matters

As your marketing agency grows, client reporting efficiency becomes essential. With Lighthouse report templates, your agency transforms the reporting process, saving precious hours that are better spent elsewhere. 

Leverage Lighthouse report templates to streamline your workflows, enhance client communication, and dedicate more resources to what truly matters—delivering winning campaigns that build lasting trust and loyalty.

AgencyAnalytics saves time and money in addition to wowing our clients with professional reports. Instead of spending hours on report preparation, our team is selling more and spending productive time with clients.

Colin Lewis / Director of Content