WordPress is generally capable of running at a very high-performance level but as a site grows, problems can appear. While this CMS is very popular and is used to power millions of websites, if you see that it no longer operates as it used to, it is time to improve performance levels. This can be done in various ways, but those mentioned below are usually the most effective and need to be considered first.
Use A Strong Hosting Provider
In order to have a highly successful website you need really solid hosting. It is really important that you opt for the services of a reputable hosting company since this automatically increases WordPress performance, SEO and even sales.
Generally, if you run a highly niched website that is localized, like for a plumbing company in Melbourne, you need just a starter package. However, if your site has a lot of traffic and needs to rely on an infrastructure that can accommodate numerous site visitors at the same time, you need much better web hosting. Carefully compare hosting providers so you can choose a package coming from one that can fully be trusted.
Analyze Your WordPress Theme
It is easy to think that all WordPress themes are the same but in reality, some need many more server resources than others. Keep in mind that most website owners now utilize free themes. Generally, making the switch to a paid theme that uses a modern framework and is created based on modern development processes will lead to increased overall WordPress performance.
Remember that besides affecting how a site looks, the theme impacts functionality. Only opt for modern themes that are often updated and created by developers that have a lot of experience. Also, see if the theme you use utilizes some extra resources you are not aware of. This information is almost always available in the description of the theme or inside the WordPress Dashboard.
Audit Your Plugins
A really common mistake is to install and activate many WordPress plugins. This is normally done in order to add different desired functionalities. Unfortunately, every single new plugin you add will increase resource use. Also, there are some plugins that simply consume a lot more than other plugins that do the exact same thing.
One of the quickest steps to improve WordPress WordPress performance is to simply remove those that you do not use. As time passes, it is really easy to end up with many that are activated without actually offering anything. Just check and remove those you do not use. The exact same thing should be said about unused themes as they can act like backdoors for hackers.
Update WordPress
Last but not least, every single WordPress update that is available should be done as soon as possible. These updates are vital for site performance, reliability and security. Every single site needs maintenance and WordPress core update should be seen as vital maintenance for the CMS. Most websites that are hacked are infected because of the fact that the core is not updated.