Faster WordPress by default

Published 1 October 2025 · ~6 min read · By Middle Earth Consulting AB

Speed isn’t a plugin, it is a stack of good decisions. Here’s a practical baseline that makes WordPress fast by default and keeps Core Web Vitals green as your site grows.

Faster WordPress by default

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1) Caching that actually works

Use full-page caching for anonymous traffic and object caching for database calls. Configure cache preloading (sitemaps are perfect seeds) and make sure important pages are always warm after deploys.

  • Page cache: server-level (Nginx/Apache with fastcgi/proxy cache) or a known plugin.
  • Object cache: Redis/Memcached to reduce repeated queries.
  • Exclude: cart, checkout, account, and query-string heavy endpoints.

2) Images: light by design

Start with the right dimensions and formats, not just compression after the fact. Use responsive srcset/sizes, convert to WebP/AVIF, and lazy-load non-critical media below the fold.

  • Authoring rules: no 4000px hero uploads. Size to layout.
  • Formats: WebP/AVIF for photos, SVG for icons/logos.
  • Delivery: serve scaled variants; lazy-load galleries and embeds.

3) Themes & plugins: less is more

Pick a lean, maintained theme and audit plugins quarterly. Each plugin can add DB calls, scripts, and styles. Replace multipurpose bundles with single-task utilities when possible.

  • Remove unused page builders and slider packs.
  • Dequeue scripts/styles not used on a page.
  • Load analytics with defer and respect consent where required.

Good defaults

  • Limit Google Fonts variants; self-host if possible
  • Inline tiny critical CSS; defer the rest
  • Combine/minify cautiously, do not break HTTP/2

Common pitfalls

  • Loading everything site-wide via the theme
  • Huge hero videos with no poster or lazy-load
  • Third-party widgets blocking the main thread

4) Hosting & PHP runtime

Right-size your hosting and keep PHP/WordPress up to date. A tuned stack (OPcache, HTTP/2 or HTTP/3, TLS 1.3) and a CDN for static assets will outperform “unlimited” shared plans every time.

  • Runtime: latest stable PHP with OPcache; monitor hit rate.
  • HTTP: enable compression (gzip/br), keep-alive, and caching headers.
  • CDN: offload images, CSS/JS, and fonts to a global edge.

5) Core Web Vitals in practice

CLS, LCP, and INP improve when you stabilize layout and reduce render-blocking work. Reserve image space with width/height, use system fonts or a quick font-display strategy, and keep the main thread free from long JS tasks.

  • LCP: optimize the hero image and server TTFB.
  • CLS: set explicit sizes for images/ads; avoid late-injected UI.
  • INP: reduce heavy JS; split code; avoid synchronous third-party scripts.

6) Monitoring & guardrails

Measure with both lab and field data. Run Lighthouse/Pagespeed for regressions and track real-user data (RUM) to see what customers feel on 3G/4G devices.

  • Automate checks on deploy (thresholds for LCP/CLS/INP).
  • Alert when page weight or requests jump unexpectedly.
  • Version your performance budget and enforce it in PR reviews.

Baseline checklist you can apply this week

  1. Enable page cache + Redis object cache.
  2. Convert media to WebP/AVIF and set responsive sizes.
  3. Trim plugins; remove unused builders/widgets.
  4. Self-host critical fonts or cut variants; use font-display: swap.
  5. Deliver assets via CDN; ensure proper cache headers.
  6. Set performance budgets and test on a throttled mobile profile.

Want us to implement this baseline?

We set up caching, image pipelines, CDNs, and Core Web Vitals monitoring, then keep it fast as your content grows.

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