How to Increase WordPress Website Speed Without Plugin

Site speed optimisation is crucial for improving user experience and search engine
rankings. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do it:

How to increase WordPress website speed without plugin:

1. Measure Current Performance

Before making any changes, use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, or Gtmetrix.com to measure your website’s current speed and identify areas for improvement.

2. Select a Reliable Web Hosting Service

Opt for a hosting provider that offers fast and reliable servers with server-side caching and Content Delivery Network (CDN) capabilities. Hostinger.com or 20i.com are good options.

3. Optimise Images

Compress images without sacrificing quality using free tools like TinyPNG.com or Bulk resize photos.

Go to bulkresizephotos.com

• Drop in your high res images

• Set the width you’re after – we recommend 1920 for full-width images under 300kb file size and 1290 for site width under 150kb file size – and the image quality – we recommend going to 70%

• Click start – the site will work its magic and a zip file containing your resized and compressed images will be downloaded to your computer!

4. Use a fast-loading WordPress theme

The speed of WordPress themes varies wildly. Some may be poorly coded that it adds unnecessary weight to web pages, while others are lighting fast.

I recommended these two lightweight WordPress themes.

Kadence theme

Kadence is a versatile and lightweight WordPress theme designed to create high-performance websites with ease. It offers extensive customization options, making it suitable for any type of website, including blogs, e-commerce stores, portfolios, and business websites. The theme is fully responsive and optimized for speed, ensuring your site loads quickly on all devices. Check out our WordPress themes and Knowledge base to learn about Kadence.

Astra theme

Astra is a highly popular and lightweight WordPress theme known for its speed, flexibility, and ease of use. Designed with performance in mind, Astra is optimized to deliver fast-loading websites, making it an ideal choice for bloggers, businesses, and online stores. The theme is fully responsive and ensures your site looks great on any device.

5. Deactivate or uninstall unnecessary WordPress plugins

Go through your list of installed plugins and identify those that are not essential for your site’s functionality or those that duplicate functionalities. Plugins that are deactivated but still installed can clutter your site and database, potentially slowing down your site.

6. Optimize Your Homepage

Show a limited number of posts or articles on your homepage or archive pages. For instance, displaying 3-10 posts instead of 20 can significantly reduce the amount of content that needs to load. Show only post excerpts on archive and category pages rather than the full content to reduce the page size.

7. Simplify the Design

Opt for a clean and minimalistic design that focuses on essential content. Avoid using overly complex layouts, multiple sidebars, or excessive animations. Limit the number of images, videos, sliders, and other media elements on a single page. Use only what’s necessary to convey your message.

8. Limit the Use of External Scripts

Avoid embedding too many third-party elements like social media feeds, Google Maps, or external forms, as they can slow down your page load time. If you must use external scripts, load them asynchronously or defer their loading so they don’t block the rendering of your page.

9. Eliminate Unnecessary Pop-ups and Ads

Avoid using multiple pop-ups, especially those that trigger immediately when a user lands on your page. If you must use them, ensure they are lightweight and don’t interfere with page loading. If your site displays ads, limit their number and ensure they don’t slow down your site. Avoid heavy or auto-playing ads that consume a lot of bandwidth.

10. CSS/JS Minification

removes unnecessary characters (like whitespace and comments) from CSS and JavaScript files, reducing their size. Combine multiple CSS and JavaScript files into single files, reducing the number of HTTP requests needed to load the page. You can do this manually by removing the code, but I recommend using the free LiteSpeed Plugin.

11. Continuous Monitoring and Testing

Continuous monitoring and testing are vital to ensure that your website maintains optimal performance levels over time. Here’s how to approach it:

a. Regular Performance Monitoring: Set up a schedule to regularly monitor your website’s performance using tools like Google Console. These tools provide valuable insights into various metrics, including loading times, server response times, and page rendering speeds. By tracking these metrics over time, you can identify any performance issues as they arise and take corrective action promptly.

b. Heat Maps and Session Recordings: Gain deeper insights into user behaviour and interactions on your website by utilising heat maps and session recordings. Tools like Microsoft Clarity provide visual heat maps that highlight areas of user engagement and interaction on your web pages.

Additionally, session recordings allow you to observe how users navigate through your site in real-time, enabling you to identify any usability issues or bottlenecks that may be affecting site speed. By analysing this data, you can make informed decisions about optimising your website’s design and functionality to enhance user experience and improve site speed

c. Stay Updated with Industry Trends: The field of web development and optimisation is constantly evolving, with new technologies and best practices emerging regularly. Stay updated with the latest industry trends and advancements by following reputable blogs, attending webinars, and participating in online forums and communities.

Conclusion: How to Increase WordPress Website Speed Without Plugin

By staying informed about the latest tools and techniques for site speed optimisation,
you can ensure that your website remains competitive and continues to deliver an
exceptional user experience.

If you have any more suggestions on how to increase WordPress website speed without plugin. Contact us