The Problem With Most WordPress Sites
Out of the box, WordPress is not a fast platform. Between bloated themes, unoptimised plugins, and oversized images, most sites we inherit score below 50 on PageSpeed Insights.
The 6 Most Common Causes
1. Unoptimised Images
Images are typically 60-80% of a page total weight. Convert everything to WebP and serve images at the correct display dimensions.
2. Too Many Plugins
Every plugin adds HTTP requests, database queries, and JavaScript/CSS to your page. Audit ruthlessly.
3. No Caching Layer
A simple object cache + full-page cache (WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache) can cut TTFB by 80%.
4. Cheap Shared Hosting
Move to managed WordPress hosting. The performance difference is night and day.
5. Render-Blocking JavaScript and CSS
Defer non-critical scripts and inline critical CSS above the fold.
6. No CDN
Cloudflare free tier solves this immediately.
What We Do on Every Build
- All images converted to WebP and lazy-loaded
- WP Rocket or LiteSpeed Cache configured
- Cloudflare CDN activated
- All render-blocking resources deferred
- Database optimised and post revisions capped