Improve CLS and site speed

Technical Q&A

Topic summary

A Shopify store owner using the Palo Alto theme (v6.1.0) is experiencing poor page speed and high Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) scores. They’ve shared screenshots showing performance metrics and are seeking guidance on whether simple fixes exist or if hiring a Shopify Partner is necessary.

Key findings from community response:

  • Another user tested the site and found contradictory results—their speed test showed relatively high performance
  • They identified suspicious code immediately after the <head> tag that may be problematic
  • The responder noted they cannot replicate the CLS errors shown in the original screenshots

Current status:

  • No concrete solutions have been provided yet
  • The issue appears complex, likely requiring theme code modifications rather than simple CSS fixes
  • The discussion remains open with the core problems unresolved
Summarized with AI on November 1. AI used: claude-sonnet-4-5-20250929.
1

Hi,

My website is securitybase.com.au, and both my page speed as CLS scores are very poor. I’m using the Palo Alto theme version 6.1.0.

I tried to find some help on Fiverr, however it’d riddled with scammers and I’m not sure who to trust.

Are there simple ways to improve the CLS and page speed? Or is the only option to hire a Shopify Partner?

Some guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers, Nick

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2

Hi @nickadl

I tested your website speed and it is quite high.

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https://prnt.sc/r-nbrSX1vTfc

And found this code right after the tag
I’m not sure but it’s really suspicious, hope my guess is wrong

Because I can’t measure the CLS error like the image you sent, I can’t give you any solution. Usually these edits take a lot of time, and require intervention in the theme code, not just simply inserting a piece of css code. So I can only help you up to here.