Why Is My WordPress Site So Slow – Complete Fixing Guide

At times, a WordPress site can load relatively slowly. There are many possible reasons for the underperformance of a WordPress site. Some of them are bad hosting, caching, plugin issues, etc. There can be many advanced reasons also.

As loading speed is an important performance parameter, it is essential to find immediate solutions if a WordPress site is slowed down. Let’s look at the topic in detail and find the symptoms, reasons, and best solutions regarding the slowness of a WordPress site.

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Why is Speed Important for WordPress Sites?

Speed is important for WordPress sites to retain their visitors. Recent study reports state that one out of four visitors tend to leave if a website takes longer than four seconds to load.

It is also observed that humans have an average attention span of seven seconds. So, if or when a WordPress site is slow, people tend to leave it and look for alternatives.

The ideal website loading speed is up to two seconds. Internet users are usually willing to spend up to two seconds waiting for e-commerce websites to load.

However, users' patience is much lower in Google or other search engines. So, Google is trying to reduce its page loading time to half a second.

Some studies observe that even a one-second delay in loading makes 16% of visitors feel dissatisfied. The number of page views also drops by about 11% when a one-second delay in loading time happens.

Considering all the studies and statistics above, it is clear that loading speed is extremely important for all sites, especially WordPress sites. Loading time can positively and negatively affect the performance of a website.

Slow WordPress Site: Symptoms

Here is how to find when a WordPress site is slowed down.

The foremost symptom when a WordPress site slows down is the lack of traffic. The number of website users and visitors will drop significantly when the site slows down. The user can check the site’s loading speed to confirm the symptom.

To check the loading speed, the users can go to Google's Page Speed Insights section and paste the website’s URL. Any loading speed less than two seconds can be considered slow. Studies show that a one-second delay in loading can cause a website to lose 7% of its total traffic.

Slow WordPress Site: Reasons

A WordPress site can slow down due to several reasons. Some of them are as follows.

Bad hosting
Heavy themes
Plugin issues
Caching
Unoptimized images
Unnecessary code
Pop-ups and ads

Let’s look at each of them in detail.

1. Bad Hosting

A good web hosting is necessary for good loading speed. The hosting should be fast and robust for the website to perform well. Options like shared hosting may compromise the loading speed.

When it comes to WordPress, it is recommended to use managed hosting. Managed hosting support for quick loading speed and better performance. Through managed hosting, the user will get backups, maintenance services, security support, etc.

2. Heavy Themes

Themes are significant parts of a website’s structure. But they can be a bit too overwhelming at times. Themes that are heavy with features can affect the speed of the website. Not updating the website's themes can also be a reason for the slowdown.

3. Plugin Issues

Having outdated plugins can cause a WordPress site to slow down. So, it is essential to keep the site plugins updated. Slow plugins can also slow down the site even if they are correctly updated. So, the user needs to choose the plugins wisely.

It is advisable to pick a plugin after checking its reviews, ratings, etc. Using additional plugins can also be a problem for the website. Keeping the number of plugins in a WordPress website under ten is always better.

If any extra plugins are found in a WordPress website, it is recommended to deactivate them one by one. Ensuring the quality of plugins is also very important to speed up a WordPress website.

4. Caching

Caching is the process in which the browser saves the website’s data for future reference. A separate plugin is necessary for caching in a WordPress website. If there is no caching plugin present, the website can slow down.

A proper caching plugin can speed up a website by about five times.

5. Unoptimized Images

Images are necessary for a website to engage people. But they need to be of the right size, too. Extra-large pictures or unoptimized photos can slow down a website.

Experts suggest several optimal image sizes for WordPress sites. Some of them are as follows.

Header Image: 1048 x 250 pixels
Blog Post Image: 1200 x 630 pixels
Featured Image (Landscape): 1200 x 900 pixels
Featured Image (Portrait): 900 x 1200 pixels
Background Image: 1920 x 1080 pixels
Thumbnail Image: 150 x 150 pixels
Logo Image: 200 x 100 pixels

6. Unnecessary Code

Unused or unnecessary code can be a reason for the slowness of a WordPress site. Unnecessary code means the code that is not used on the website. Such code can lag the website unwantedly.

If an unnecessary code is found on a website, the user can remove it manually or using a plug-in.

7. Pop-Ups and Ads

Pop-ups and ads are some things that can seriously slow down a WordPress website. Keeping the number of ads and pop-ups within three is always recommended. Otherwise, the website will be dragged behind due to these heavy ads.

Slow WordPress Site: General Solutions

Some general solutions to solve the slowness of a WordPress site are as follows.

Checking speed
Using fast web hosting
Caching website information
Installing a caching plugin
Choosing better CDN
Compressing images
Optimizing page size
Updating WordPress

Let’s look at each of them in detail.

1. Checking Speed

As the first step of resolving the slowness of a WordPress website, the user should test its speed in Google’s Page Speed Insight. Many third-party service providers are also available online to check a site's speed.

This step is necessary as it gives information on how slow the site is. Any speed higher than two seconds can be considered slow.

2. Using Fast Web Hosting

Fast web hosting improves the loading speed of a WordPress site. Fast web hosting providers may cost more. But they come with many additional advantages, including quick loading speed.

3. Caching Website Information

Using proper cache servers can help reduce the loading time by up to five times. Cache servers store the necessary user information to make the loading quick. So, the site will load quickly whenever a previous user attempts to log in.

4. Installing a caching plugin

One of the best ways to speed up the loading time of a site is to install a caching plugin. A caching plugin helps store the cache information effectively. While installing a caching plugin, it is essential not to use more than one. Using multiple caching plugins can break the site.

5. Compressing images

Unoptimized images can slow down a WordPress website. So, it is necessary to compress the images to improve the site’s loading speed.

Many websites provide image compression services. WordPress users can avail of the help of such websites to compress and optimize the images on their websites.

6. Optimizing page size

Optimizing the page size can usually improve the loading speed. Removing unwanted images, videos, GIFs, etc., is essential. Likewise, the user should clean up the website of any unwanted elements.

Some of the most common unwanted elements in a WordPress website are as follows.

Trash comments and posts
Spam comments
Post Revisions
Unused database tables
Post drafts
Pingbacks
Trackbacks

7. Updating WordPress

Installing the latest version of WordPress is extremely important to improve the website’s loading speed. The user has to do the update manually every now and then. Before updating WordPress, it is important to back up the website. Because if the website is not backed up, the update can cause it to break.

Slow WordPress Site: Best Solution

As mentioned, many general solutions are available to improve a WordPress website's loading speed. But chances are high that they won't work well. When none of the known solutions work, the user can be confused.

To avoid this dilemma, experts suggest using the service of a WordPress care provider. Such WordPress care providers partner with the user and help with the proper running and maintenance of the website.

One of such famous WordPress care provider services is WordCare+.

WordCare+

WordCare+ is a reputed WordPress development team. They focus on providing top-quality WordPress maintenance services to users. They understand that maintaining a WordPress website is no easy task. So, they extend their expertise to the people in need.

WordCare+ currently maintains hundreds of WordPress sites. They carry out daily backups, security checks, speed monitoring, etc., to ensure the website functions properly.

WordCare+ provides customers the opportunity to be worry-free regarding their WordPress websites. WordCare+ monitors, manages and maintains a WordPress account with utmost care and attention.

Some of the services available at WordCare+ are as follows.

WordPress Security
WordPress optimization
WordPress upgrades
Speed optimization
Bug fixes
Customer support

How Can WordCare+ Fix A Slow WordPress Site?

WordCare+ has several unique features that help fix a slow WordPress site. Some of them are explained in detail below.

1. Developers On-Demand

WordCare+ offers the service of qualified developers on demand. When WordPress users encounter a bug or a security threat, they can submit a ticket at WordCare+. The platform will provide the support of an expert developer.

2. Regular Backups

WordCare+ regularly backs up the WordPress site to an offsite server. In fact, the backup happens daily at WordCare+. Due to the daily backups, the user need not worry about losing the website under any circumstances.

3. Protection and Security

WordCare+ offers high security and protection to a WordPress website. The platform prevents any security threats from entering the user’s website. This prevention of external factors positively helps with the site's loading speed, too.

4. Edits and Updates

WordCare+ offers multiple pricing plans. But all of these plans come with monthly edits and regular updates. The user can provide the details on the required edits, and the platform carries them out monthly.

WordCare+ also updates the site and the plugins to avoid any slowdown. The platform also fixes bugs and other issues during the updates.

WordCare+ Pricing Plans

WordCare+ offers three different plans for the user to choose from. They are as follows.

Starter
Established
Premium

Starter

Price: $99 per month
Free Trial: Seven days
Email support
Hacker protection
Daily backups
Unlimited bug fixes
Plugin updates

Established

Price: $149 per month
Free Trial: Seven days
Email support
Hacker protection
Daily backups
Unlimited bug fixes
Plugin updates
Additional security features
Loading speed optimization
20% discount for extra edits

Premium

Price: $199 per month
Free Trial: Seven days
Email support
Hacker protection
Daily backups
Unlimited bug fixes
Plugin updates
Additional security features
Loading speed optimization
Automatic ADA compliance

FAQs

1. Which plan is the best in WordCare+?

The ‘Established’ plan is the best in WordCare+. The ‘Established’ program provides a wide range of services at a reasonable cost. Any small to medium-range WordPress websites can be maintained appropriately using the ‘Established’ plan.

2. Is it possible to cancel the WordCare+ membership?

It is possible to cancel the WordCare+ membership anytime the user wants. If the user is unsatisfied with the platform’s service, they can cancel. No contracts or agreements prevent users from canceling a WordCare+ membership.

3. Can I help my WordPress website load faster?

You can help your WordPress website load faster by using fast hosting or updating WordPress. You can also try removing all unwanted code from the site and optimizing the loading page.

Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.