Page load speed affects visitor experience, conversion rates and search engine rankings: Google uses the Core Web Vitals metrics (LCP, INP, CLS) as ranking signals. The steps below range from the most impactful methods to fine-tuning.

0. Measure first

Before making any changes, test the page using PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev), including in mobile view. This will show you where the biggest issues lie (slow server response, large images, blocking scripts), and you’ll be able to compare the results after making changes.

1. Caching

A cache plugin stores and serves dynamically generated pages as pre-rendered HTML, so that PHP and the database do not have to work on every visit. This usually results in the greatest individual improvement. Popular plugins include WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache and WP Fastest Cache; use only one at a time. For information on server-side settings (compression, browser caching), see the article on improving cPanel hosting performance.

2. Optimising images

Large, uncompressed images are the most common cause of slow-loading pages.

• Upload images at the displayed size (you don’t need a 4000-pixel photo for a 1200-pixel-wide content area).
• Use a modern format: WordPress supports WebP and (from version 6.5) AVIF images, and an image optimisation plugin can also convert existing images.
• WordPress loads images using lazy loading by default; it is worth disabling this for the main image (hero) above the fold.

Detailed guide: Optimising images in WordPress.

3. Up-to-date PHP version

Newer versions of PHP are noticeably faster than older ones. Check that your hosting account is running the latest version compatible with your template and plugins; the process is explained in the article on changing the default PHP version.

4. Fewer and simpler extensions

It’s not the number of plugins that matters, but their size: one poorly written plugin can slow things down more than ten small ones. Remove any you don’t use, and check which plugins load scripts on every page (for example, a contact form that’s only needed on one page). Heavy page builders and ‘all-in-one’ templates can also slow your site down considerably.

5. Database maintenance

Post revisions accumulated over the years, expired transient data and spam comments are bloating the database. You can limit the number of revisions in the wp-config.php file: define('WP_POST_REVISIONS', 5); For more information, see: database optimisation in WordPress and bulk deletion of spam comments.

6. Real cron instead of WP-Cron

WordPress’s built-in timer runs on every visit, which can slow down both high-traffic and very low-traffic sites. Replace it with your hosting provider’s cron job; the steps are described in the article on switching from WP-Cron to a cPanel cron job.

7. CDN and server location

A CDN serves images, CSS and JavaScript files from a server close to the visitor; see the article on speeding up a website with a CDN. For Hungarian visitors, hosting in a nearby European data centre also makes a significant difference to server response times.

If the hosting is the bottleneck

If the site is still slow even after clearing the cache and following the steps above, or if your cPanel resource statistics regularly reach the limits of your plan, you will need a larger plan. Our WordPress hosting plans run on NVMe SSDs, with WordPress and WP Toolkit Deluxe pre-installed.