⚡ Quick Wins
- Install caching plugin (e.g., WP Super Cache)
- Compress images with ShortPixel
- Delete unused plugins
Why Speed Matters
Every second counts: 53% of visitors leave a page if it takes longer than 3 seconds to load. Google uses loading time as a ranking factor. A fast website = more visitors, more conversions, more revenue.
What Makes WordPress Slow?
- No caching – Pages are regenerated on every visit
- Large images – Uncompressed images slow everything down
- Too many plugins – Each plugin costs performance
- Bad hosting – Shared hosting is often slow
- Bloated database – Revisions, spam, transients
Optimizations
1
Enable Caching
Install WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache. This stores finished HTML pages and drastically reduces server load.
2
Optimize Images
Use WebP format and compress images. ShortPixel or Imagify do this automatically.
3
Use a CDN
Cloudflare is free and speeds up your site worldwide. It also provides DDoS protection.
Stay Fast Long-Term
- Delete unused themes and plugins
- Use a fast theme (e.g., GeneratePress, Astra)
- Switch to quality hosting
- Enable lazy loading for images