Page Size Kilobytes reports how large a page’s raw rendered HTML is, in kilobytes — the UTF-16 length of the markup divided by 1,024. It counts the HTML document itself, not downloaded bytes, compressed transfer size, or total page weight, so read it as a markup-efficiency observation rather than a performance verdict.
| Factor ID | RG-SIZ-021 |
|---|---|
| Family | Page Size |
| Measurement | Kilobytes |
| Measured zone | Raw rendered HTML |
What it measures
This factor reports the UTF-16 length of the raw rendered HTML divided by 1,024, expressing the size of the page’s markup in kilobytes. It describes the HTML document that RankGear rendered — the tags, attributes, and inline content, plus any generated markup — and nothing beyond that document.
How RankGear measures it
RankGear counts the UTF-16 code units in page.rawHtml and calculates length / 1024.0. Because the count is in UTF-16 code units, characters outside the basic range can contribute more than one unit, so the reported length can differ from the number of visible characters or the number of encoded bytes.
pageSizeKilobytes = utf16CodeUnits(page.rawHtml) / 1024.0How to optimize it
Keep markup purposeful and efficient: remove unused generated HTML, excessive duplication, and unnecessary inline payload while preserving content, accessibility, and functionality. Treat this as an observation about markup efficiency rather than a target to minimize — the aim is lean, intentional HTML, not the smallest possible number. Compare with performance measurements before making size changes.
Important considerations
- This is not downloaded bytes, compressed transfer size, total page weight, or runtime memory.
- External images, fonts, stylesheets, and scripts are not included in the HTML length itself.
- Unicode characters can make UTF-16 length differ from visible characters and encoded bytes.
- Compare with performance measurements before making size changes.
- This value describes a property of the page’s markup within a measured result set. It relates to position but does not by itself cause or guarantee a ranking.
Related factors
Part of the Factors reference · how RankGear measures · glossary.