Easy to follow best practices to maintain a fast website

Improving website speed is crucial for user experience and overall success. Let’s dive into some effective strategies to optimize your site’s performance:

  1. Optimize Images:

    • Use modern image formats like WebP. If you have had your website optimized with WiserSites speed and performance service, this has likely already been done for you. Now, in the future, you will need to keep using this format when possible.
    • Compress images to reduce their file size without compromising quality.
    • Always use the right image size for different device screens. This is very important to use images that are not too high in file size, and yet have enough resolution to look nice on all screens from mobile to desktop.

  2. Leverage Browser Caching:

    • Utilize browser caching to save certain website elements in visitors’ browsers, reducing load times for repeat visits.
    • This is a service that will require you to use a caching plugin like W3TC. Our development team can easily install this for you and is part of the speed and performance package.

  3. Minify Website Code:

    • Simplify and shrink your site’s CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files. Easy-to-use online tools can do this for you.
    • Be cautious! Some minify plugins can cause your website to break. Also, do not minify until after your website is stable and has been live for some time. It can be difficult to manage updates and changes to your theme and templates when minified.

  4. Reduce Server Response Time:

    • Choose a reliable web hosting provider. It is best to use a dedicated or dedicated shared hosting like WiserSites hosting.
    • Consider using Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to ensure fast delivery of your content globally. A CDN is ideal when you are ready for it. This will require a developer to install it properly. CDNs also have an additional monthly fee, however these are very affordable. We have helped several sites use Cloudfront CDN from Amazon AWS and the cost is very affordable, oftentimes less than $5/ month.

  5. Enable Compression:

    • Automatically compress your web files (Gzip or Brotli are commonly used) to make them smaller and faster to load.
    • This is being done on your host provider and if you are on WiserSites hosting, this is automatically turned on.

  6. Prioritize Visible Content:

    • Ensure the content that appears first on the screen loads quickly.
    • Consider lazy loading for images and elements that aren’t immediately visible.

  7. Asynchronous Loading for Scripts:

    • Load scripts in a way that doesn’t block the rendering of your site’s main content.
    • This can be difficult to manage if you add plugins without looking closely at the code and how these are being added to your site. It is important to load your page in the correct order.

  8. Reduce HTTP Requests:

    • Minimize the number of elements on your web pages that require separate HTTP requests, such as scripts, images, and stylesheets.

  9. Monitor Performance Regularly:

    • Use free or paid tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to regularly test and monitor your site’s performance.

Conclusion

A fast website is critical for capturing and retaining your audience’s attention. By applying these straightforward best practices, you can significantly improve your site’s performance without diving into complicated technical details. Continuously monitoring and optimizing your website will ensure it remains a powerful tool for engaging your audience and achieving your business goals. A speedy site not only keeps your visitors happy but also sets you apart in an increasingly competitive digital world.