Slow websites frustrate visitors, reduce your site’s visibility in search engines, harm conversion rates, and damage your brand.
Whether you built your website for fun and just want more people to enjoy your content, are using your site to promote your services and find clients, or are running a business website, slow load times are limiting its effectiveness.
Fortunately, you can fix a slow WordPress website.
In this guide, we cover the common causes of slow load times and how you can fix them. You’ll also learn how to test the speed of your site and record objective measurements of your site’s performance.
The costs of slow-loading websites
Here are some of the issues that slow site speed can cause:
- Increased visitor abandonment rates: Studies show that over half of mobile users will abandon sites that take more than three seconds to load.
- Poor search engine rankings: Speed has long been a ranking signal used by Google to determine where to display sites in their search engine results. According to Google documentation, the main content of a page should load in under 2.5 seconds.
- Lower conversion rates: Google reports that each one-second delay in load time causes retail conversions to fall by 20%.
- Bad user experience: Even if the speed of your site isn’t slow enough to cause visitors to leave, it can still deliver a poor user experience, harming engagement, your brand perception, and the likelihood of a return visit.
With the cost of slow load times being so high, testing the speed of your website and then taking action to improve its performance is highly recommended.
How to test your site speed
There are several ways to test your site speed, each offering slightly different insights into its performance and potential areas for improvement.
Here are our recommended tools for testing the speed of your site:
- WordPress.com Speed Test: Our free tool is specifically designed for WordPress sites, providing clear and easy-to-understand insights into your site’s performance, with helpful suggestions for improvement.
- GTmetrix: Get free insights into site performance with multiple test locations and waterfall charts providing request-by-request visualization of the page load to help you identify problems in your content.
- PageSpeed Insights: Google’s free tool highlights issues with the metrics used by its search engine to evaluate site performance and determine rankings.
- SolarWinds Pingdom: Test the speed of your site for free from a range of locations, with a paid version that automatically tests load times at regular intervals and emails you the results.
Review the results for both mobile and desktop tests to get a comprehensive picture of your site’s performance.
Which metrics actually matter
When testing your site, you’ll see a range of metrics, including performance grades, letter ratings, and marks out of 100, as well as the page size and the time it takes to fully load.
These metrics can help you assess the impact of changes made to your site. However, they’re not the most useful when it comes to determining if your site is loading quickly enough.
For a better indication of how fast your site loads and its impact on user experience, conversion rates, and SEO rankings, the Core Web Vitals metrics are more important.
Core Web Vitals are a set of user experience metrics defined by Google. They focus on how fast, stable, and responsive a webpage feels to users, rather than just the time it takes them to fully load. This gives better insight into the impact of load times on the user experience.
There are currently three main Core Web Vitals that you should focus on:
The tools mentioned in the section above measure these metrics.
Once you start testing the performance of your website, you’re going to get a lot of data. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed by this, and focusing on the Core Web Vitals will be the most effective use of your time and effort.
Common causes of slow-loading WordPress websites
Below are the most common causes of poor performance, along with steps to fix them. Working your way through this list will get you well on the way to being the proud owner of a fast WordPress site and enjoying all the benefits of improved load times.
Shared hosting
The quality of your web hosting has the biggest impact on how quickly your site loads. For example, sites using low-cost, generic shared hosting load more slowly than those using high-quality, managed WordPress hosting.
Upgrading your hosting can significantly impact the speed of your site. Depending on your starting point, upgrading your hosting is probably the biggest lever you can pull when it comes to improving site speed.
When upgrading, your main option is to switch to a higher-performance plan from your current host or move to another provider altogether. For a quick win, consider moving to WordPress.com managed hosting. Moving is easier than you think, thanks to its straightforward migration process.
For more information on choosing a host, check out our guide to the different types of web hosting.
Using a slow website builder
Adding a website builder to your WordPress site is an excellent way to take control of its design. However, not all website builder plugins are created equal, and some have the potential to slow down your site due to the way they’ve been built and the designs they produce.
One way to assess the impact of your website builder plugin on your site’s speed is to install a plugin like Code Profiler, which can help detect possible performance problems with themes and plugins. You should also test the load time of any pages you create with the builder to see how fast they’re loading compared to the other parts of your site.
Switching to a more performance-focused website builder, like WordPress.com’s website builder, can help solve the problem. However, any existing page designs will have to be recreated with the new builder if you want to improve their load times.
Unoptimized images
Images on your WordPress site can significantly slow it down. The larger their file size, the longer they’ll take to load and be displayed.
Running your site through a reliable speed test tool will highlight any images that could be causing problems. A good tool will also provide recommendations for improving image-related issues.
Ways to optimize your images so they don’t slow down your site include compressing them before uploading, using the appropriate file format, and enabling “lazy loading.”
Another option is to use the Jetpack Site Accelerator (CDN). This tool is available as a standalone plugin and is also included on the WordPress.com Business and Commerce plans. It can automatically resolve image-related load time issues.
Plugin bloat
Each plugin you add to your site has the potential to slow it down. Therefore, it’s best to only add those you need, while also choosing plugins that are well-maintained and have positive user reviews.
A tool like Code Profiler can help identify the plugins on your site with the longest execution times. You can then swap these plugins for faster alternatives.
Another option is to replace multiple plugins with a single plugin that provides the same functionality. An example of this is Jetpack, which has a wealth of features covering backup, security, analytics, and SEO functionality, enabling it to replace multiple individual plugins.
You can also choose a web host that includes functionality currently covered by multiple plugins. For example, WordPress.com hosting includes backup, security, caching, social sharing, AI, monetization, and newsletter features that remove the need to install multiple single-feature plugins.
Lack of caching
Caching speeds up load times for return visitors by storing copies of a site in a location that’s faster for them to access. There are several types of caching, including browser, page, and object caching, all of which can improve site speed.
Some web hosts, including WordPress.com, provide caching as part of their service. If your host doesn’t provide effective caching, many plugins for WordPress can add this functionality to your site, including Jetpack Boost, LiteSpeed Cache, and others.
Outdated WordPress or PHP versions
WordPress runs on PHP, a server-side scripting language, and like the WordPress software itself, new versions are released fairly often.
To keep your site running smoothly and as fast as possible, it should use the latest version of WordPress. Additionally, your hosting environment should be using the latest version of PHP, as newer releases often include performance improvements, enhanced optimization, and bug fixes.
Running older versions of WordPress and PHP can cause plugin compatibility issues, which can slow down your site or even cause it to malfunction. To help with this, enable automatic updates for your WordPress site. However, it’s essential to back up your site before updating WordPress in case something goes wrong.
Tip: Some web hosts, including WordPress.com, automatically back up your site before updates and keep the WordPress software and PHP updated for you, helping to prevent this issue.
Outdated theme or plugins
Like PHP and the WordPress software, themes and plugins are regularly updated, with older versions having the potential to slow down your site. This is due to new releases often containing code and performance improvements that can enhance load times and prevent issues that could be slowing things down, such as incompatibilities and security vulnerabilities.
Tip: Many plugins and themes can be set to automatically update every time a new version is released. Backing up your site before updating is recommended. Some hosts, including WordPress.com, automatically take care of that for you.
Too many ad or tracking scripts
Ad and tracking scripts are typically added to a site to collect data on user behavior, including how visitors interact with the site, often for analytics and marketing purposes.
If you’re using third-party services like Google Analytics or Facebook Pixel, then ad and tracking scripts will be active on your site.
These third-party scripts increase the amount of data that’s loaded when a page is viewed. The overall size of the page increases, and the visitor’s browser must load data from a range of external sources. This slows down your site.
It’s usually not one script that’s having a large impact, but the combined effect of all of them.
To see which scripts are loading on your site and how long they’re taking to load, you can use WebPageTest and access the Waterfall and Request Details sections. The scripts will appear as entries with a domain that’s different from your site.
You can also use the Network tab in the Chrome browser DevTools to get similar insights.
Some ad, tracking, and other third-party scripts are inevitable if you want to have certain features on your site. However, be aware of how these scripts affect load time. You can then decide whether the impact is worth it.
Testing site speed before and after adding any features that require third-party scripts is also highly recommended.
Excessive pop-ups
Pop-ups are an effective way to grow your email list and promote offers, but they can slow down your site. This usually happens when they’re used excessively and are inefficiently coded and designed.
To prevent pop-ups from slowing down your site:
- Use them sparingly.
- Ensure that you’re not loading more than one pop-up per page.
- Make them as lightweight as possible by optimizing any images you add to them.
- If your plugin allows, set them to only display after the page has fully loaded.
Tip: For a lightweight pop-up tool, consider the Jetpack Newsletter feature.
Using HTTP instead of HTTPS
If your site isn’t using HTTPS, which you can easily check for yourself, it could be slowing your site’s load times. With HTTPS enabled, your site can use modern protocols to load faster through improved compression and the ability to load multiple files simultaneously over a single connection.
Using HTTPS also helps keep sensitive data secure. Therefore, it’s something you should add to your site by purchasing an SSL certificate or using one issued by your hosting provider.
Tip: WordPress.com hosting customers don’t need to worry about enabling HTTPS, as our plans include SSL certificates at no extra cost.
Improperly embedded third-party media
Adding third-party media to your site, including YouTube videos and Instagram posts, can be a great way to enhance your content. However, if embedded improperly, they can slow down your site due to multiple network requests and the use of additional scripts to display the content.
Enabling “lazy loading” settings can prevent this media from being loaded until it’s in the visitor’s viewport. Replacing embedded videos with static thumbnails can also help stop content from loading until it’s needed.
You can ensure any third-party media is embedded properly by using the official WordPress Embed block or the blocks built for specific platforms, such as YouTube.
Excessive redirects
Redirects automatically send visitors from one URL to another. Redirects are often used when the address or URL of a page has changed, and when you’re merging and removing old content.
When used correctly, redirects can maintain your SEO and a user-friendly experience. However, too many redirects can slow down your site. This is especially true when multiple redirects are used consecutively, creating a redirect chain: As the visitor is redirected from one point to the next, the load time increases.
Online tools can help you fix the issue of excessive redirects by identifying them on your site. Once identified, you can remove any unnecessary redirects. You can also check site links and navigation elements, including menus, to verify they point to the current page URL and not an outdated one.
Heavy themes
One of the best reasons to build your site with WordPress is its vast library of high-quality themes. However, poorly coded themes or those bloated with excessive features, such as page builders, font libraries, and sliders, can unnecessarily slow down your site.
To avoid this, look for themes from reputable sources and check their reviews. Opt for themes marketed as being lightweight rather than all-in-one solutions. Avoid themes packed with features that your web host already provides or that you don’t need.
Tip: WordPress.com hosting plans include access to themes that are vetted for performance and quality, helping you to find a design for your site that won’t slow it down.
Database bloat
WordPress uses a database to store your site’s content, including posts, pages, and images.
Over time, this database can become bloated with unnecessary data, such as post revisions, deleted content, spam comments, and data from plugins. As the database grows larger, it takes longer to find and retrieve the necessary data for pages to load.
There are several plugins you can install to keep your database optimized and running smoothly. However, managed hosting companies like WordPress.com take care of this for you, making it another task you won’t have to worry about.
Additional solutions and preventative measures
Other tips to correct a slow WordPress site include:
- Minify HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Reducing the size of your site’s HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files by removing unnecessary spaces and characters can improve its load times.
- Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN). A CDN distributes your site’s content across a global network of servers, helping it load more quickly, regardless of your visitors’ locations.
- Install an optimization plugin. Optimization plugins that can help speed up your site include WP Super Cache, WP-Optimize, and Jetpack.
- Hire a professional. Hiring a professional who’s skilled in optimization can help you identify and resolve the specific issues currently slowing down your WordPress site, as well as those that may arise in the future. As a cost-effective alternative, consider signing up with a managed hosting service that provides expert one-on-one support.
Ready to move to WordPress.com?
Moving to a faster web hosting provider is the one change that can have the most significant impact on the speed of your WordPress site. If you’re ready to get access to fast, secure hosting with a built-in website builder and many other useful features, try WordPress.com hosting. There’s even a hassle-free migration service to simplify the move.
