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19 Must-Follow Tips To Quickly Speed Up Your WordPress Site!

Speed Up WordPress

Step by Step Guide to Boost 10x WordPress Speed & Performance

WordPress is one of the most popular and widely used Content Management System (CMS) in the world. If you desire to launch a well-secured website today, developers will recommend WordPress first. According to the stats, nearly 70% of CMS users and 30% of total websites are using WordPress.

The popularity of WordPress is growing rapidly when it started the journey in 2003. Rather, one weak point users tell sometimes the website build with WordPress is slow. Is it true? Actually, you can speed up WordPress following some tips. Whenever you are only installing and running a website with WordPress, then it may seem a bit slow. But whenever you following some optimization tricks, you can boost up the speed. Even we see examples of the highest fast websites built with WordPress.

So, the question is— how to speed up WordPress website?

Yes! We will discuss all the popular simple methods to increase the speed of the WordPress site. If you are not heavy tech-savvy, you can also optimize it. That’s why experts suggest using WordPress always. So, to make it your final choice, Let’s find out all the tips for speeding up WordPress website.

Speed Up WordPress Website

4 Basic Steps To Speed Up WordPress Website

Before going to speed up the WordPress website, you should know some basic matters.

For example, why you need a fast loading WP website? How will you check the speed, the reasons that slow down the speed, and web hosting that is must need before going the next steps.

So, Let’s discuss these.

Why fast loading is essential for your WordPress website?

First of all, we should realize why you need a fast loading website.

Studies show that 1-second delay of loading of your website can make 7% loss of conversions. Similarly, it will decrease by 11% of page views. At the same time, 16% of customer satisfaction will decrease.

So, we may seem 1 second is not a huge change. Actually, thousands of visitors who can be your potential customers will leave in the meantime.

Page View Count

Important to realize, the average attention span level of the human being is reducing gradually. According to Guardian, in the last 5 years, it has dropped 11 seconds to 6 seconds.

At the same time, the search engines do not love the slower website at all. Already Google who is 90% actually in the search engine industry started to punish by dropping rank in recent year.

So, surely a slower website will bring less traffic, sales as well as revenue.

How to check the speed of your WordPress website?

You may think you are getting your website fast on your computer or mobile. Actually, when you visit a website, modern browsers like Google Chrome, Safari or Mozilla save the cache that loads the site within seconds. For this reason, your PC does not show you as slow.

But when users are browsing your website for the first time, they get far different than your experience.

Even according to the locations, the experience will change also.

For this reason, it is good practice to check website speed before taking any decisions about optimizing your website.

So, how will you check the speed of your website?

In my perspectives, I get Pingdom as a very smart online tool as free. The amazing thing of Pingdom—you can check your website’s speed from different locations of the world. It will check from different important aspects and give your complete insights.

Pingdom Website Speed Test

Overall, it helps to take decisions where you need to work to speed up your WordPress website’s speed.

Need to mention, milliseconds of upgradation of the website can improve notable enhancement.

So, to sum it all up, you can check the speed of your website by visiting Pingdom and following the stats of it.

What are the reasons for slowing down your website?

Whenever you check your website with Pingdom, it will show you the probable reasons for slowing down of your website. It will display where it needs to work—similarly, some decisions based on some other stats. So, after getting the reasons, you may take the decisions of how to improve performance and what will be your long term work.

But the primary reasons of slowing down of your website will be as like the below.

  • Website Hosting: For fast-loading website, a well-configured hosting is essential. You can check Speed Host Hosting to meet the fastest, advanced & powerful web hosting solution.
  • WordPress Customization: Customization in WordPress is necessary. For example, optimizing the images and other media. Using Caching plugins or CDN gives a huge boost to your site. Continue reading. I will discuss how you can do it.
  • Unoptimized Page: Pages with many images can make it overloaded. So, optimizing the web format is essential.
  • Unnecessary and Bad Plugins: Using bad configured or poorly coded plugins can slow down your website.
  • External Scripts: Some external scripts that need to load, including ads script or font loaders, impact loading performance.

Now, you know what slows your website. Although web hosting is an important factor. So, let’s check what should check when choosing webhost.

Why good WordPress hosting is must need? How will you choose?

If you fail to choose right hosting for your WordPress website, other work for speeding up of your website will also fall. So, overall, you need to confirm fast loading and well-configured website hosting.

Most of the newbie use Shared Hosting. Generally, in shared hosting, you share server resources with others. If your partner’s website gets tons of traffic, it may impact your site. That means the entire package will load slowly.

If you choose hosting that provides special attention to performance, even in Shared Hosting, it would be great. Normally, in Speed Host’s Shared Hosting I see these types of extra facilities.

Although going with dedicated or VPS or some similar packages will not hamper your site anyway. Even Managed WordPress hosting provides some extra opportunities. For example, keeping backup regularly, image optimization, automatic backup or updates, etc. Surely, it is excellent if you like the better performance of your website.

Hosting Package of SpeedHost

2 Speeding Up WordPress Method Without Coding Knowledge:

In our amazing speed up procedures, first, we will discuss 2 processes where you have no need for coding knowledge.

We know, maximum WordPress users do not keep advanced coding experience as they are beginners. For this reason, they fear changing core parts.

Considering this, we have brought 2 special methods where the speed of your site will improve ridiculously. We have worked with thousands of websites, where we get 5x speed results when we implement these two tips only.

If you are not a tech-geek, then welcome to these awesome tips. Most of the experienced developers recommend these methods.

Hopefully, it needs only a few clicks. You do not need any coding experience.

Just follow me and do it now.

1. Install a reliable Caching Plugin Of WordPress:

We know that all the pages of WordPress websites are dynamic. For this reason, every time a visitor comes to open a page, it needs to load full content from different places. Collecting from all places it displays to the users.

That’s why it takes more time than opening any static page. Actually, it needs to perform a lot of steps that do not see. So, when a page is visited by many users, it slows down.

Here comes the solution with a caching plugin. A caching plugin makes the webpage 2x to 5x faster.

Why caching plugin makes faster of your website?

Actually, a caching plugin makes a copy of the page when a user visits. So, next time when the user visits that page, it does not need to call all the functions, just shows the cached version. As it has no need to go the whole page, it brings a cached version.

So, it makes the page faster.

If you see the above image, you will understand how the cached version works.  When a user requests “Give Me This Page,” if the page is uncached, it goes to PHP and MySQL. Then shows the page.

cached version of WordPress page

If you use a cache plugin, then when a user request for the first time, it keeps cache version from the first request.

Then if you request, it shows the cache version. That means it displays the page in a quicker process, which 2x to 5x faster.

So, which Cache Plugin will you use?

WPSuperCache. [You can Check—How To Configure WPSuperCache] Or LiteSpeed Cache.

Actually, it is free and simple to use.

If you search, you will get more caching plugin though I recommend WPSuperCache. You can try others also. Even you will get some premium caching plugin also.

You can also combine Cache Plugin with a web application firewall or CDN. It boosts the page’s performance. (Continue reading…surely I will share how you can do this)

2. Optimize Images To Reduce Page Size:

Images or visual media are the life of text content. We know text content is more catchy and people like to read. But content without images is not attractive at all. For this reason, we need to use similar images a lot in our content.

It is also true that unoptimized images are not good at all. Even it destroys the speed of the page. We know non-optimized images are one of the big issues for the slow speeded website.

So, without optimizing any images from Camera or downloaded photos, you should not use it on your content.

In most of the cases, we need to try to use the images, which is under 500kb. If you use 10+ websites it should keep nearly 100kb. The image format can be JPEG or PNG.

For transparent and colored images, we use PNG. You can do it also. For other issues, we mostly prefer JPEG.

optimize images

Try to use some editing software to make it perfect as like you. You can check how to make web-friendly images from here.

19 Tips To Quickly Speed Up Your WordPress Site:

That means you have done the most important work of speeding up your website. Whenever you use a Cache plugin and optimize all the visual content (images), it started to load faster.

Now, I will show you some other process which will improve the speed of your website. It will long last your website from being slowing down again. So, to keep a speedy website always, follow the below tips also. It is also easy to implement, but be careful of losing important data. You may take a backup if you think.

1. Keep your WordPress site and Plugins Updated

WordPress is a well-maintained content management system. The core WordPress themes and plugins get regular updates. We see updates in every month and even two or three times in a month also. It ensures security, solves bugs. At the same time, it brings new features as well. For this reason, WordPress has kept its popularity years after years.

Now, as a WordPress user, you have to keep your WordPress updated. You will see messages under Dashboard>Updates. So, it would be easy to update all the plugins or themes. It will improve site speed as well. The oldest version is not  reliable, compatible with the latest technology. To ensure security and smooth WP running in your system, keep your website updated.

Updates WordPress

2. Use Excerpts on Homepage and Archives

WordPress displays the full article on the homepage and archives. That means the full article with images or other media will load on the homepage as well as archive pages. It is not good for the readers. They feel less interested in the original content as they get it in the archive.

At the same time, the pages take more time to load.

To solve this, you should change the default settings from full text to summary. It will display a summary of the pages. You can give how many words it will show. It will surely improve page speed.

To do it, go to Settings>Readingand under For each article in a feed, show: select summary. Then it will not show the full text anymore.

Excerpts Post Summary Full Text

3. Optimize Background Processes

What are background processes? Generally, it is the scheduled tasks that run in the background. For example, you have installed a backup plugin that means it will take backup according to your setting. Cron jobs which are done by WordPress and it publish the scheduled post you have selected, check for new updates. Similarly, the search engine crawls the data on your website. It also works on the background.

For the WordPress default task, including checking new updates or scheduled task, you have no work here. It does not make a huge change in speed also. For backup tasks or other similar processes, including search engine crawls, do a backup when necessary. Keep it weekly or monthly setting if you do not change your site a lot.

4. Split Comments into Pages

Getting comments in your post is a good sign. It enhances popularity. Similarly, the search engine also loves engagement. For this reason, you have to turn on the commenting system on your blog or website.

But getting too many comments and displaying it on one page may slow down your website. For this reason, spilt comments in a certain number. It would show on the next page. With the passes of time, the comments will go to the next page. So, the readers will get it. But the pages will spilt it. Thus you can speed up the website’s post.

You can do it from Settings » Discussionoptions. You can customize it according to your preference and needs.

Spilt Comments

5. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

If you have visitors from different countries in the world, using CDN can increase the speed of the website. We know according to the geographical locations, the speed may vary.

The server locations impact the loading speed, actually.

In this case, a CDN can improve the overall speed in each location.

For example, if your hosting location is in the United States, the speed in China may differ.

A CDN (Content Delivery Network) is perfect for delivering content in each location. Actually, CDN creates a static file in the closest server to deliver it instantly rather than using dynamic page of WordPress. It combines CSS, HTML and JavaScript static files.

You will find different types of CDN services, including Cloudflare. You can check this post to choose the best CDN network that provides free service as well.

6. Don’t Upload Audio/Video Files Directly to WordPress

Nowadays, videos play an important role in the engagement of your content. It increases conversion rates. Similarly, essential for branding visibility.

You can upload videos to your WordPress sites directly. It creates an HTML5 player to load it here also.

But as you use limited space and bandwidth. It may decrease the overall site speed. So, uploading the videos into popular video sharing sites, including YouTube, Vimeo or DailyMotion, will solve these issues.

It is very popular. At the same time, it plays the videos without any delay.

Surely, it increases the WordPress site speed.

7. Use a Theme Optimized For Speed

In WordPress, using a theme is a must. It is a great thing. You can change the design within one click. You will find thousands of themes that are free.

But when you are uploading a well-designed theme but not well-coded, it may impact on site speed.

The poorly coded theme is not good for your site. It decreases the site speed as well as it also hampers security issues.

So, before installing themes, check the review and try to use popular themes that are updated regularly.

8. Use Faster Plugins

As like the themes, the plugins are also essential for your WordPress website. A plugin is used to add advanced functionalities. For example, you want to create a contact form. You want to use a slider or make the website a shop.

Then using a plugin is necessary.

But if you use poorly coded plugins that are not updated regularly, it may slow down your website.

Similarly, it may cause security problems.

For this reason, always use plugins which are well-coded and secure…

9. Use A Faster Slider Plugin

A slider makes the website more attractive. It is a great area where you can promote some services or products. Similarly, it creates a website professional. So, we see the uses of sliders on the most website.

But a slider makes the website heavy. So, if you use any poorly coded slider plugin, it may slow down your website. The same things happen for the Gallery.

So, I always suggest to use a perfect and well-coded slider plugin to enrich the speed of your website.

10. Uninstall Unnecessary Plugins

Whenever you install WordPress on your website, it uses some unnecessary plugins. With the passes of time, you may use some plugins, which is unnecessary now.

So, check the plugins page and if you get any plugins that are not used, just uninstall it.

It will speed up your website.

Some Advanced Tips To Increase Speed Of WordPress Website:

From the above tips, your website will be faster. Similarly, it will make the website clean. With the above tips, if you are an advanced user, or if you keep a developer or firm for your website, you may tell to implement the below methods also.

Surely, it will boost your website. If it gets 2 seconds of boost of your website, remind, it is huge for you.

It may need to do some functional tasks or you may need to change the code, but it will make your website faster. Let’s check it now.

11. Reduce External HTTP Requests

Some plugins use external HTTP requests to make it more engaged. It may include some functions from another website. For example, Facebook posts, Twitter Tweet or other share or like buttons. Even it may add scripts or stylesheets.

When that plugins add functions to any page or post, it needs to load from other websites. It takes more time. It may down your website or page to load.

So, when you are using plugins that need other HTTP requests, be careful and do it following the suggestions of the experts.

12. Split Long Posts into Pages

We know long posts are liked by the readers very much. It is detailed and gives in-depth insights into the matters.

For this reason, readers like a lengthy article. The search engines also like the long-form of posts.

But as a lengthy post (For example, 9 thousand + words) use dozens of images, videos, infographics or other media, you may spilt it into pages. The first page will show, NEXT, to get the other parts of the article.

The benefit is—it will divide the article into some parts. Surely, it will increase the page speed. The readers will get clear insights from the article as well.

13. Reduce Database Calls And Optimize WordPress Database

We know database calls are necessary, but doing it huge amount will take more time to load the website. It will increase the work in your database with unnecessary requests that will slow down your website.

Generally, poorly coded themes and plugins do it always. Even some popular themes and plugins request the database hugely.

Do you know the starts of <?phpis a new database call in PHP.

Experienced developers may do it by changing/adding the code. There is an easy solution for optimizing the database. A plugin named WpSweep can do it.

This plugin does much work. Just check it on the plugin page. You can get how to optimize the WPSweep plugin from here.

As it needs to change the code or some advanced work, do it taking the help of experts.

14. Limit Post Revisions

Now, we know that post revision also take database space. It is not important for space, but sometimes it slows down the post. Similarly, whenever you are writing a post or giving revisions regularly, it keeps the revisions on the database. So, excluding the past revisions or removing it from the database may improve the speed of your site.

You may keep 3/4 revisions only from the published date if not necessary. For this reason, you can change the Post revision time.

You can do it by changing code from wp-config.php  file.

define( 'WP_POST_REVISIONS', 4 );

You can just change the number to keep it according to your needs. it will surely improve the speed Of Your WordPress website.

WordPress Revisions

15. Disable Hotlinking and Leaching of Your Content

We can’t deny that our content is stolen by many new users. As they do not get good behavior from the search engine, but they do it. The more your content gets a good position on the search engine, the chance of coping with the content becomes higher.

But what are the problems as the main author of the content?

Mainly, copy the content with the images and other media.

For this reason, they display the images from your website. The traffics they get do not count as yours. But you are losing your bandwidth from the images and media.

So, you should do something to stop it.

In WordPress, you can do it easily.

To stop the hotlinking of images of your WP website, you can add the below code in the .htaccessfile. It will automatically ban hotlinking.

#disable hotlinking of images with forbidden or custom image option
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^$
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^http(s)?://(www\.)?speedhost.com.bd [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_REFERER} !^http(s)?://(www\.)?speedhost.com.bd [NC]
RewriteRule \.(jpg|jpeg|png|gif)$ – [NC,F,L]
Note: Yes! Change the URL of SpeedHost with your own website.
Similarly, the website takes the content of your website using RSS feed or trackback. They are also taking the support of your content. You can add DMCA with your website to stop the stealing of your website’s content.

16. Use Lazy Loading if Needed

Instead of instant loading of all the images or media of the post, you can add lazy loading. It will load what the users are watching on their screen. It helps to load the page quickly. That means the users will get the post-fast.

You can do the same thing for the comments or Gravatars images also.

To activate the lazy load, you will find a plugin for WordPress. For example, Lazy Load By WP Rocket.

17. Use DNS Level Website Firewall

Using a security plugin for your WordPress website is a must. To protect your website from unwanted access, a security plugin does good work. Brute force attacks or hacking attempts can be protected by a firewall plugin. Attacking by Malware or other dangerous attempts, a firewall plugin can do it.

Some plugins run on your website, which means the attackers can reach your web server. It is not perfect for defending your website.

So, to block malicious requests, we suggest using Sucuri or Cloudflare. It is better to keep the overall performance. You can check the post on how to configure Sucuri or other security plugins from this post.

18. Fix HTTPS/SSL Errors without Plugin

To ensure proper security, an SSL certificate is necessary. When you install SSL, it creates HTTPS errors. Some HTTP URLs don’t redirect with HTTPS. It may harm ranking problems. Even it may decrease speed as well. For this reason, you need to configure HTTP to HTTPS accurately.

If you take SSL from your domain or hosting provider, they will help to solve these issues. Even you will get some plugins to redirect the URLs. You can also fix the URLs manually. You can also use Really Simple SSL to easily migrate your website into SSL.

Surely, it will speed up the post or page with the HTTPS errors.

HTTP TO HTTPs

19. Use Latest PHP Version

We know WordPress is built with PHP server-side language. That means the PHP is installed on your server. For this reason, it varies the speed of your website according to the version and configurations.

Most of the hosting companies use the latest PHP version. It is more secure and updated. But if you see you are running any backdated PHP version, you can tell your hosting to upgrade it for you. You can check the PHP version in this way.

We suggest to talk with your hosting provider to change or upgrade the PHP version. Surely, it will boost up the PHP version.

To Sum It All Up:

Yeah! In the long run, I have finished the article on speeding up your WordPress site. It is well-researched with the experts. So, do it carefully and share any thoughts if you need support from us. Our team is ready to help you. Don’t forget to support us by sharing the content with others. Again, it is all about increasing the speed of your WP site. I hope it would make the website super fast for you. Thanks, and welcome to check any tech issues with us. If you need Hosting support, you can also contact us—all the best in web life.

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