How do I make my WordPress site load faster?

Start with the changes that usually help small sites: shrink your images, remove plugins you do not use, use a lightweight theme, and keep WordPress and PHP up to date. On ParsonsHosting, NGINX page caching is on for every cPanel account, so you typically do not need a cache or performance plugin. Measure with a free speed test before and after each change so you know whether it helped.

Step 1: Measure first

1. Go to Google's PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev).
2. Enter your homepage address and run the test.
3. Note the mobile results, especially Core Web Vitals, so you can compare after each change.

Step 2: Fix images

Large photos are a common cause of slow pages.

1. Before uploading, resize photos. Around 2000 pixels wide is plenty for a full-width banner; 1200 pixels is enough for other images on the page.
2. Use JPEG or WebP for photos. Recent WordPress versions also accept AVIF.
3. WordPress 7.1 compresses and resizes images in your browser as they upload. Older images in your Media Library are not changed.
4. Avoid image sliders with many full-size photos on the homepage.

Step 3: Clean up plugins

1. Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins.
2. Deactivate and delete anything you do not use.
3. If two plugins do the same job (two SEO plugins, two form plugins), keep one.
4. Retest. If one plugin makes a big difference, look for a lighter alternative.

Step 4: Use a lightweight theme

Themes packed with sliders and animations add weight to every page. If you are redesigning, consider a lean block theme such as a default WordPress theme.

Step 5: Let the server handle caching

On ParsonsHosting, NGINX caching is on for every cPanel account, and you can turn it off in cPanel. It saves a ready-made copy of each page, so you typically do not need a cache or performance plugin. If your site is behind Cloudflare, read how Cloudflare caching works with our NGINX cache before you add page-caching rules. Moved from a host with a caching plugin? Deactivate it and retest.

After you edit a page, visitors may see the old copy for a while. To fix that:

1. In cPanel, find the NGINX Caching option and click Clear Cache.
2. For a long editing session, switch NGINX caching off there and back on when you are done.
3. Optional: the free community plugin TNC Toolbox adds a toolbar button to clear the NGINX cache and clears it automatically when you publish. It is not required and we do not officially support it. Install it yourself (it needs a cPanel API token from Manage API Tokens) or ask us to set it up, at your own risk.

For heavy sites (a large WooCommerce store, a busy membership site or many logged-in users), Redis object caching is available as a per-account upgrade, which our team sets up for you. Request it on the Redis request page.

Step 6: Keep WordPress, plugins and PHP current

Newer versions of WordPress and PHP (the language WordPress runs on) often run faster and are safer.

1. Check Dashboard > Updates and apply updates.
2. Look at Tools > Site Health. It tells you if your PHP version is out of date and lists other performance issues.
3. Try a newer PHP version on a staging copy first. Our article on WordPress security and updates shows how to set one up.
4. Switch the live site once staging looks right. Hardened legacy PHP versions (through CloudLinux) are available for older sites that cannot move yet.

Step 7: Limit outside scripts

Every chat widget, social feed, map, tracking pixel and embedded video loads extra code. Keep only the ones that earn their place.

Step 8: Retest

Run PageSpeed Insights again and compare. Scores vary a bit from run to run, so look for a clear change rather than a point or two.

What not to worry about

You do not need a score of 100. Aim for a site that feels quick on your phone over cellular data and does not jump around as it loads.

Get help

Open a support ticket with your site address and PageSpeed Insights link (that is how we prefer to be reached), or email support@parsonshosting.com or call 530-710-8726. We reply the same day, often within an hour, during business hours (8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific, 7 days a week). See WordPress hosting and the FAQ. If your site is somewhere else, most moves are free regardless of size; we only quote in advance if your site needs custom server setup.

Related guides: How do I add a contact form to my WordPress site? and How do I set up a Google-friendly homepage in WordPress?.

Written by Chris Parsons, ParsonsHosting. Last updated: November 2026.