A slow website loses visitors and hurts your Google ranking. Most speed problems come from the website itself, and there's a lot you can do.
Measure It First
Test your site at pagespeed.web.dev. It scores your site and lists the biggest problems. Test again after each change.
The Biggest Wins
Shrink Your Images
Large photos are the most common cause of slow pages. Resize images to the size they're shown on screen before uploading, and use a compression tool like tinypng.com. In WordPress, a plugin such as Smush or ShortPixel does this automatically.
Use a Caching Plugin (WordPress)
A caching plugin saves ready-made copies of your pages so they load much faster. Popular choices include WP Super Cache and W3 Total Cache. Only use one caching plugin at a time.
Use a Recent PHP Version
Newer PHP versions are much faster. See How to Change Your PHP Version.
Remove Plugins You Don't Need
Every plugin adds work for each page. Deactivate and delete anything you don't use, and look out for heavy plugins like sliders and page builders that load on every page.
Keep Everything Updated
Updates often include speed improvements. See How to Keep WordPress Updated and Secure.
Is It Just You?
- Test from your phone on mobile data to rule out your own internet connection
- Clear your browser cache
Still Slow?
Open a ticket with Technical Support with your website address and the PageSpeed results. We'll check the server side and let you know if your site has outgrown its plan.
