In this blog post, we are going to show you how to score a perfect 100 on Pagespeed Insights. Pagespeed is a tool that measures the speed of your website and provides feedback on how to improve it.
We will be using WordPress as our example, but these tips can be applied to any website. Follow these simple steps and you will see an improvement in your Pagespeed score in no time!
Having a 100 Pagespeed score for every page on your website is nearly impossible and shouldn’t be a goal in itself, but hitting 85+ for mobile and 95+ for desktop is possible for most websites, and hitting 100 for some pages is also achievable.
If you have a Pagespeed score that is lower than these numbers, there are some things you can do to improve it.
This guide is meant for everyone, even beginners to WordPress and making websites, and you don’t have to be tech-savvy for this to work.
Choose the Right Theme
The first thing you need to do is make sure you are using a theme that is designed for speed. There are many themes out there that look good but are very heavy and will drag down your Pagespeed score. Do some research and find a theme that is lightweight and fast.
Personally, I use either GeneratePress or Trellis on my sites as they are both very lightweight and fast. I have also used Astra in the past, which is another great option.
Work With a Fast Host
Working with your host is important, don’t just buy hosting. It’s not always set and forget.
Be clear and communicate that you want everything optimized for speed, and let them know if you have any issues. Any good host will work with you to make sure your site is as fast as it can be.
I use BigScoots as my host as they are very fast and have excellent customer service that will often fix any issues I have in a matter of minutes.
Use a CDN
A CDN is a Content Delivery Network, and it essentially takes your content and serves it up from different locations around the world. This can help speed up your website as it reduces the distance that data has to travel.
I use Cloudflare as my CDN, as they work very well with my host, Bigscotts. When you install WordPress through the Bigscoots dashboard, you will have the option to install Cloudflare as well. It is also a great security option as well. They have a free plan that will work fine for most people.
Cloudflare also has a paid addon service called “Automatic Platform Optimization for WordPress” which can further speed up your WordPress site.
Optimize Your Images
Images are often the biggest issue when it comes to Pagespeed. They can be very large, and if they are not properly optimized, they will drag down your score. The easiest way to optimize images is to use a plugin like WP Smush or Shortpixel.
I use Trellis Images for image optimization as it works very well with the Trellis theme. They are both developed by Mediavine.
Reduce the Number of Plugins
The more plugins you have, the slower your site will be. This is because each plugin has to load, and some of them are very heavy. So, it is important to only use the plugins that you absolutely need.
If you are using a plugin that you don’t need, or that is slowing down your site, get rid of it. It’s not worth it.
Many plugins also promise to speed up your site, and some can be worth using, but if you are using a lightweight theme and a fast host, most of these plugins are not necessary.
Chose the Right Ad Partner
Ads can slow down your site, especially if you are using an ad network that is not well-optimized. If you are going to use ads on your site, make sure you are using an ad network that is fast and won’t drag down your Pagespeed score.
I use Mediavine for my ads as they are very well-optimized and don’t slow down my site. They also work constantly to better their ads and their products.
Some ad networks are extremely slow and can even do damage to your site that can take time to repair, so be careful who you work with.
Conclusion
If you follow these tips, you should be able to improve your Pagespeed score. Pagespeed is important, but it is not the only thing that matters. Focus on delivering great content and giving your users a good experience, and the Pagespeed score will take care of itself.
Thanks for reading!