How to Make a Website Load Faster

A faster website is usually achieved by measuring the slow page, identifying the largest cause and fixing it in order. Randomly installing caching plugins or changing hosts can introduce new problems without improving the real user experience.

Measure before making changes

Use PageSpeed Insights and browser developer tools to review representative pages, not only the home page. Check both laboratory diagnostics and real-user data where available.

The current Core Web Vitals are:

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): loading of the main visible content;
• Interaction to Next Paint (INP): responsiveness to user interaction;
• Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): unexpected movement of page content.

Google's “good” thresholds are LCP within 2.5 seconds, INP within 200 milliseconds and CLS no more than 0.1, assessed at the 75th percentile. These are useful diagnostic targets, not a guarantee of search rankings.

Step 1: fix oversized images

• resize images close to their required display size;
• serve responsive variants with srcset and sizes;
• use WebP or AVIF where appropriate;
• compress at a visually acceptable quality;
• include width and height attributes;
• lazy-load images below the first screen;
• do not lazy-load the main page image without testing.

Step 2: reduce third-party scripts

Chat widgets, advertising, tracking, maps, videos, social embeds and consent tools can add network requests and processing. List every third-party script and ask:

• Is it used?
• Does it need to load on every page?
• Can it load after interaction?
• Is a lighter alternative available?
• Who owns and reviews it?

Step 3: improve the largest visible content

If the LCP element is a hero image, optimise its file and ensure the browser discovers it promptly. If it is text, check whether web fonts or render-blocking CSS delay it. If server response is slow, investigate caching and hosting.

Step 4: remove layout shifts

• reserve dimensions for images, video and adverts;
• avoid inserting banners above existing content after load;
• use stable font fallbacks;
• keep consent and notification interfaces from moving the page unexpectedly;
• test dynamic booking and payment widgets.

Step 5: improve interaction responsiveness

Long JavaScript tasks, overloaded page builders and heavy widgets can delay clicks and typing. Remove unused scripts, split complex work and simplify interactions. Test the actual menu, form, filter or checkout that users operate.

Step 6: use caching safely

Page caching can reduce server work, and browser caching can avoid repeat downloads. Confirm that:

• the cache is cleared after updates;
• logged-in, basket and personalised pages are handled correctly;
• forms and payment responses are not cached incorrectly;
• there is a rollback route before changing optimisation settings.

Step 7: reduce unused code

Remove abandoned plugins, themes and libraries after a safe review. Minify and defer resources only after testing; aggressive combination or delay settings can break menus, forms and checkout behaviour.

Step 8: assess hosting and server response

Hosting becomes a priority when server response remains slow after application and caching checks, or when the service cannot handle real traffic reliably. Before moving, identify whether the cause is the host, database, application code, external API or configuration.

Test each change

Performance change record

Record	Why
Page and device tested	Results vary by template and connection
Metric before change	Establishes a baseline
Single change made	Makes cause and effect clearer
Functional checks	Confirms forms and interactions still work
Metric after change	Shows whether the change helped

Sources checked

• web.dev: Web Vitals
• web.dev: How Core Web Vitals thresholds were defined
• Google Search Central: Page experience
• web.dev: Choose the right image format

Performance guidance checked on 21 July 2026.

The next practical step is to measure one slow service or article page, identify its LCP element and list the five largest network resources before changing anything.