How To Increase Page Load Speed

Today, fast page load speeds still matter! Maintaining a WordPress blog that loads quickly is essential for delivering positive user experiences for visitors and readers alike. In addition to reducing the bounce rate of your blog, major search engines like Google favor sites like these. Below are some methods you can employ to improve your site’s loading speed and attract more traffic:

Update the WordPress Theme or Get a New One

Still planning to stick with the current WordPress theme you have been using since 2012? It is time for an upgrade because modern themes load significantly faster on computers, tablets, and mobile devices; what’s more the faster loading times do not compromise on features. This means that you are getting the best of both worlds.

Optimize Images for Image-Intensive Sites

It is a good practice to integrate relevant images into one’s blog posts, making them illustrative. Publishing content with excessive images, however, can create the opposite effect. If you need to maintain an image-sensitive website or blog, how can you do this without slowing down the site? The trick is to optimize the images before uploading them, e.g. reducing file sizes of images; uploading the right file type (.jpg, .gif, and .png); utilize image sitemaps; adding appropriate alt attributes and more.

If your website currently has flash content, it’s time to reduce or completely remove them. They can significantly increase the load time of your website, decreasing its efficiency and SEO performance.

Manage PPC Advertisements

Page speed matters to all PPC ads as it can affect sales performance. One can consider displaying fewer ads on his or her blog, especially those with unnecessary HTML content. If it’s a must to run ads on the website, working with an experience Google AdWords management team is highly recommended. In addition to optimizing your ads, they can help you secure the most ideal CPC as well.

Go Easy on WordPress Plugins

WordPress plugins provide great convenience for website owners, e.g. facilitating website updates; creating and managing online forms; protect website against hackers and more. Not all plugins are bad, but you don’t have to install every single one of them. If you have installed over 30 plugins, that’s too much. Consider minimizing the number of plugins (especially outdated ones) on your website or WordPress blog. In most cases, modern websites benefit from having plugins such as cache and database cleanup plugins.

Speed Up Your Site with a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

A great array of websites is hosted on a particular geo-location, e.g. in the United States. If your U.S. based business serves clients, who may be from foreign countries such as Australia, Japan, Indonesia, etc., the distance between your servers and them is very far. That’s why it can take a significant amount of time for your site to load on their end. Don’t worry. The solution is to use a CDN network. as it comprises a system of distributed servers that can deliver content to the target user swiftly in every part of the world.