Our GoHighLevel results
A lot of agencies run Google Ads to GoHighLevel funnels, so we tested real pages built on it. We used 7 of HighLevel's own landing and lead magnet pages on gohighlevel.com, including playbook pages for plumbing, HVAC, landscaping, and house cleaning. We checked each page's code to confirm it was built on HighLevel funnels, then ran it through Google PageSpeed Insights on mobile.
Here is what we found (ClickMend scans, October 2026, 7 pages):
| Measure | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Performance score (0 to 100) | 32 | 27 to 69 |
| Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) | 5.7 seconds | 4.2 to 6.0 seconds |
| Total Blocking Time (TBT) | 853 ms | 251 to 1,533 ms |
| Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) | 0.338 | 0.026 to 0.477 |
| Page weight | 3,196 KB | 2,470 to 5,507 KB |
| Script | 1,752 KB | 1,578 to 2,820 KB |
Google's Lighthouse scoring calls 0 to 49 poor. Six of 7 pages landed there. One scored 69.
The LCP numbers were steady, 4.2 to 6.0 seconds. That was the lowest median LCP of the 8 builders in our 8-builder test. So why the low scores? Lighthouse weights blocking time at 30% of the score and layout shift at 25%. Those were the two weak spots here.
Why care for Google Ads? Layout shift hurts more than a score. If a button moves just as someone taps it, they may tap the wrong thing, or give up. Google's own Quality Score help page says the speed your page loads can be the difference between someone bouncing or buying. ClickMend does not read your Quality Score, but it checks the speed, layout shift, and tracking parts of the page.
What slowed the pages
- Layout shift. Google rates CLS of 0.1 or less as good and over 0.25 as poor. Five of 7 pages were over 0.25. The biggest shifts came from whole rows and sections moving as the page loaded. Lighthouse flagged images without a set width and height on all 7, and on some pages it tied the shift to web fonts loading in.
- Blocking time. Every page was over Google's suggested 200 ms. The median was 853 ms. Of a median 1,752 KB of script, a median 999 KB came from tag manager and tracking tags, and a median 558 KB was HighLevel's own funnel code.
- The hero image was found late. On 6 of 7 pages the biggest item on screen was a section background image. Lighthouse flagged on all 7 that the main item was not found early. Background images set in styles are found later than a normal image.
- Image size. Lighthouse flagged image savings on all 7 pages, from 12 to 336 KB.
- Consent tool. All 7 pages loaded a cookie consent script.
Fixes for GHL funnel pages
- Stop the jumping. Set a fixed size on images and on any box that fills in late, like forms, calendars, and review widgets.
- Use a normal image element for the hero instead of a section background, or keep the background image small and compressed.
- Use one or two fonts. Fewer font files means less text swapping as the page loads.
- Trim tracking code in the funnel settings and your tag manager. Keep the Google Ads tag and what you use.
- Keep the first screen simple: headline, phone button, short form. Move sliders, video, and long sections below it.
- After changes, make sure the conversion still fires when a lead lands in the CRM. Our guide on GoHighLevel landing pages for Google Ads covers the setup.
For a deeper walk-through of testing a GHL page and deciding what to fix first, read the GoHighLevel landing page speed test guide. Then run your page through a free ClickMend scan.
Limits of this test
- We tested 7 pages. A small sample.
- These were HighLevel's own marketing pages with HighLevel's own tags, not client funnels and not template demos. Your funnel will carry your own images and tags.
- Lab data from one run per page on a simulated mid-tier phone. Scores move a little each run.
- All 7 pages came from one site, so they shared the same tag setup. That is why tag script was almost the same on every page, 999 to 1,025 KB.
- One page had real-user data from Google. Real visitors saw the main content in 2.6 seconds (75th percentile), while the lab showed 5.6 seconds.
Frequently asked questions
Are GoHighLevel funnel pages slow?
In our small test of 7 of HighLevel's own pages, the main content showed up in a fairly steady 4.2 to 6.0 seconds in the lab. Layout shift and blocking time were the bigger problems and pulled the scores down, to a median of 32 out of 100. Both can be reduced.
Why does my GHL page jump around while loading?
In our test, 5 of 7 pages had layout shift over 0.25, which Google rates as poor. Lighthouse flagged images without a set size on all 7 pages, and on some pages it linked the shift to web fonts loading in.
Should I move my landing page off GoHighLevel?
Not before you know why it is slow. Fix image sizes, the hero image, fonts, and tags first, then test again. Our GoHighLevel speed test guide walks through how to decide.
How do I test my GHL page?
Paste the final URL from your Google Ad into the free ClickMend scan. You get 2 scans a week, no card, a 0 to 100 score, and a check that your Google Ads conversion tag is on the page and loads.