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WordPress 101: How to speed up your WordPress site

A slow website can frustrate visitors and hurt your search engine rankings. Luckily, there are several ways to speed up your WordPress site without needing to overhaul everything. In this post, we’ll go over some simple ways to boost your site’s performance.

Choose a fast-loading theme

Some WordPress themes are packed with features that can slow down your site. When selecting a theme, look for one that’s lightweight and optimised for speed. Avoid themes with too many unnecessary features you won’t use.

Use a caching plugin

Caching plugins like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache store static versions of your pages, reducing the load time for repeat visitors. These plugins are easy to set up and can significantly improve your site’s performance.

Optimise your images

Large images can slow down page loading times. Use an image optimisation plugin like Smush or Imagify to automatically compress images without sacrificing quality. This can make a big difference in your site’s speed.

Minimise plugins

Having too many plugins can bloat your website and slow it down. Keep only the essential plugins and deactivate or delete those you no longer use. It’s important to review your plugins periodically to ensure your site stays streamlined.

Enable lazy loading

Lazy loading allows images to load only when they’re needed (when the user scrolls to them), reducing initial page load times. Many optimisation plugins offer this feature, and enabling it can make your pages feel faster without affecting content.

    Speeding up your WordPress site can improve the user experience and keep visitors engaged. With a fast theme, caching, image optimisation, and fewer plugins, your site will load more quickly, making it a better experience for everyone who visits.