Reading Time: 20 minutes WordPress! It's the platform that powers over 40% of the internet, and for good reason. It's flexible, easy to use, and there is a plugin for everything you need. But, with great power sometimes comes a little bit of slowness. Ever clicked on a link on a WordPress site then stared at a blank screen in anticipation? It's not fun for anyone. Not you, the owner of the site and certainly not your visitors. In today's fast-paced digital world, speed is important. Google likes fast sites, and so do the users. When sites are slow, they tend to have a lot of bounces, a lower search engine rank, and ultimately going to lose opportunities. So, if you've been wondering how to accelerate your WordPress site, you've come to the right place. This is more than just a simple list of tips; it the ultimate action plan for there to be a speedier WordPress site. Not just in terms of tips, we have provided 23 actionable speed strategies in easy to follow steps, and loaded with practical tips to apply. Why Speed is Important Before we begin the real work of improving your site's speed, let's briefly recap why this is important. User Experience (UX): Waiting is not something people like doing. A slow site reduces user satisfaction, and makes users leave and visit another site. A fast site provides a quick and enjoyable experience for users, which encourages longer visits and more exploration. Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Google has said page speed is a ranking factor. So, obviously faster sites rank higher in search engines than slower pages. Therefore, we get more organic traffic from search. User signals also affect SEO, and it's clear as page speed increases a user's bounce rate decreases. Conversions: You could be running an e-commerce store, a blog, or a service business, but a faster site will improve your bottomline. Faster load times means more purchases, more form submissions, and more overall conversions. Brand Perception: When your website is professionally designed and loads quickly, users will begin to trust your brand. If a website is slow and clunky, then users translate that perception to your...
