Why does Google reward fast websites?

Google prioritizes fast websites to improve the user experience and increase preference and usage of Google to make more money. By having a fast loading time, websites will get a favorable ranking in search results as a reward.

What is a good result?

There are several ways to measure whether a website is fast or not, and which measures to go for depends on the website's purpose and target audience.

One way to measure speed is through the "Page Speed" or "First Contentful Paint (FCP)" score. These measurements take into account how long it takes from when the user opens the website until the content starts to appear on the screen. The lower the score, the faster the website is.

Another way to measure speed is through "Time to Interactive" (TTI), which measures how long it takes from when the user opens the website until it is ready to interact with the user (e.g. clicking buttons and entering text in fields).

In addition, speed can also be measured by looking at the bounce rate, which is the percentage of visitors who leave the website without interacting with it. If the bounce rate is high, it could be a sign that the website is too slow and not engaging the user.

In general, you should aim to achieve as low scores and bounce rate as possible to ensure the website is fast and engaging for the user.

When is my site fast enough for Google?

Google doesn't have specific requirements for when a website is "fast enough". Instead, Google takes the speed of a website into account when determining how high it should rank in search results.

Important parameters

1. Google recommends that web pages load in less than 2 seconds and interact with the user in less than 100 milliseconds.
2. A fast website has a fast loading time, good responsiveness, a simple and clear structure, and uses optimal resources.
3. Speed can be measured through Page Speed or First Contentful Paint score, Time to Interactive, and bounce rate.
4. To ensure your website is fast enough, you should strive to meet or even exceed Google's recommendations for loading time and interaction speed.

How to test your wordpress speed

There are several different solutions to measure the speed of your website. We recommend using a solution that shows how users experience speed and not how Google experiences it. There can be a big difference. Google's Page Speed score is not always the best thing to optimize your site against as it is very difficult to achieve a good Pagespeed score without compromising the functionality or user experience of the site. Therefore, we recommend starting with GTMetrix.

Recommended platforms for speed testing:

GTMetrix

is the ultimate tool for optimizing speed and related user experience... Don't aim for a perfect score! It is very difficult (but not impossible) to achieve a Performance Score of 100% without compromising the interaction design and functionality of the site. However, it is recommended to work with what is possible and aim for a score (Grade) of min B and 80%. We also recommend upgrading as it allows you to test neighboring countries like Sweden.

What is a good result on GTMetrix:

It is recommended to work with what is possible and aim for a score of (Grade) on my B and 80%.

Pingdom pagespeed

is another free tool, the advantage of which is that you can measure the speed of an area relatively close by (Sweden) without additional payment. A good result is Grade is B (as there is always room for improvement) but the load time is under 1.2 seconds.

What is a good result on Pingdom Pagespeed

Here is an example of a really nice score. Note that the Performance Grade is B (as there is always room for improvement) but the load time is just under 400 ms, which is very good.

Google Page Speed Insights

is a tool that can be used to measure the speed of a website. It gives a score on a scale from 0 to 100, with 100 being the best possible result. The higher the score, the faster the website speed. Google recommends that web pages load in less than 2 seconds and interact with the user in less than 100 milliseconds. Achieving a score of 100 is a sign that the website meets or even exceeds these recommendations and that it has a high speed. We recommend a score of min. 75/100 on mobile and min 85/100 on desktop.

What is a good result on Google Pagespeed insights?

We recommend a score of min. 75/100 on mobile and min 85/100 on desktop.

Speed optimizing your WordPress site - here's how

Use Caching

You can easily improve WordPress speed with a caching plugin

One of the most effective ways to speed up a WordPress site is to install a caching plugin, such as W3 Total Cache or WP Super Cache. These plugins store static versions of your website so it can load faster for your visitors.

Here's a list of some popular paid caching plugins for WordPress, along with their approximate cost and a brief description of each:

1. Our favorite: WP Rocket ($200-300): This plugin offers a simple and easy-to-use way to implement caching on your WordPress website.
2. The complex: W3 Total Cache ($100-200): This plugin offers a wide range of caching options including browser caching, page caching and object caching.
3. WP Super Cache (Free): This plugin offers a wide range of caching options, including page caching, content preloading and support for mobile devices.
4. Cache Enabler (free): This plugin offers a simple and easy-to-use way to implement caching on your WordPress website.
5. Comet Cache ($100-200): This plugin offers a wide range of caching options, including page caching, browser caching and support for mobile devices.

Optimize your images

How to reduce the file size of your images without compromising quality

Another important factor for the speed of a WordPress site is the size of your images. If your images are too large, it can increase the loading time of your website. Therefore, it's a good idea to compress your images and reduce their size before uploading them to your website.

Recommended plugin for image optimization:

ShortPixel Image Optimizer ShortPixel Image Optimizer is a popular plugin for WordPress that allows users to optimize images on their websites. There are several reasons why many people find ShortPixel Image Optimizer a good plugin to use:

• Easy installation and use
• Reduces image size by up to 90% without compromising quality
• Supports JPG, PNG, GIF and PDF
• Optimizes up to 100 images at once
• Free version and subscriptions available

Other options:

• Smush Image Compression and Optimization is a plugin for WordPress that helps users compress and optimize their images, reducing file size and improving their website performance.
• EWWW Image Optimizer is yet another WordPress plugin that helps users optimize and compress their images. It allows for lossy and lossy optimization, allowing users to choose the level of optimization that best suits their needs.
• Compress JPEG & PNG images is a plugin for WordPress that allows users to compress their JPEG and PNG images, reducing file size and improving website performance. The plugin provides an easy-to-use interface and advanced settings for more advanced users.

Reduce the number of plugins

Each plugin can increase the loading time of your website. Therefore, remove the plugins you no longer need and update the remaining ones to their latest version.

There are several WordPress plugins that can help you measure the speed of your website and see how it is affected by different plugins. Some of the most popular plugins for this purpose are:

• Query Monitor:
• P3 (Plugin Performance Profiler)
• GTmetrix for WordPress
• WP Performance Score Booster

Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

How to achieve faster website loading with a CDN solution

A Content Delivery Network (CDN) can also be a useful way to increase the speed of your WordPress site. A CDN hosts static files, such as images, JavaScript and CSS, on servers located close to your visitors. This way, the files can be loaded faster from a server close to the visitor instead of from your own server.

Recommended CDN solution:

Cloudflare (Free / +1400 per month) Cloudflare is a popular CDN service that offers content optimization tools, load time acceleration technologies, and security features. This can help improve the speed of your WordPress website. It's free to use and easy to get started with, plus it has a number of powerful paid features including

• Railgun: A technology that optimizes the loading of dynamic content, such as databases and API calls. This can help reduce loading time for pages that contain a lot of dynamic content.
• Page Rules: A feature that allows you to configure individual rules for how your content is handled by Cloudflare. This can help improve the speed and security of specific pages on your website.
• Custom SSL: A feature that allows you to use your own SSL/TLS certificate to secure your website with HTTPS. This can give users a sense of security and trust in your website.
• Argo Smart Routing: A technology that optimizes the routes between Cloudflare servers and your users to improve the speed of your website. This can help reduce the loading time of your content.

Other options:

• StackPath
• Amazon CloudFront
• Fastly

Use a WordPress-compatible hosting provider

A hosting provider that is compatible with WordPress can provide faster server speeds and better support. When choosing a hosting provider for your WordPress website, it's important to take price into consideration. Prices are indicative and may be subject to adjustment.

Recommended WordPress hosting solutions:

WP Engine - (from $600 to $6000 per month) WP Engine is a platform for hosting WordPress websites that offers a range of benefits for users. WP Engine offers a reliable and professional solution for hosting WordPress websites, providing fast loading times, security and comprehensive support, as well as scalability and performance optimization.

• Faster loading times: WP Engine delivers fast loading times for your websites, which can boost user experience and your SEO ranking.
• Security: WP Engine offers comprehensive security measures, including daily backups and firewalls, to ensure your websites remain secure and protected from threats.
• Professional support: WP Engine offers 24/7 support from WordPress experts so you can get help when you need it.
• Scalability: WP Engine allows you to grow your website when you need to, with the option to upgrade your hosting plan to accommodate increased traffic and complexity.
• Performance optimization features: WP Engine offers a range of tools and features to optimize website performance, including caching plugins and image optimization tools.

Or

Kinsta - Kinsta specializes in providing high-performance hosting for WordPress sites. It does this by using technologies like Google Cloud Platform and LXD containers to provide fast and stable hosting. Kinsta also offers advanced features like automated backup, security scanning, and website monitoring.

Alternative Danish hosting providers for WordPress:

• One.dkPrices from $29.00 per month to $199.00 per month. One.com offers fast server speeds, good support and easy integration with WordPress. They also offer a range of tools for optimizing WordPress, such as caching and image optimization.
• Simply.dkPrices from $19.00 per month to $269.00 per month. Simply offers fast server speeds, a range of WordPress optimization tools such as caching and image optimization, and a dedicated support team with experience in WordPress.

Alternative foreign hosting providers for WordPress:

• BluehostPrices from $22.65 per month to $104.65 per month. Bluehost offers fast server speeds, good support, and simple integration with WordPress. They also offer a range of tools for optimizing WordPress, such as caching and image optimization.
• SiteGroundPrices from $29.65 per month to $89.65 per month. SiteGround offers fast server speeds, a range of WordPress optimization tools such as caching and image optimization, and a dedicated support team with experience in WordPress

Using speed-optimized theme and page builders

Pagebuilders generally have a negative impact on speed, but can be a necessity for building and maintaining an attractive website.

Recommended WordPress page builder for speed:

Elementor is a popular pagebuilder platform that enables users to build and customize their websites without having to have technical knowledge. It does this by providing users with a drag-and-drop interface to add and edit content on their websites and choose from a range of pre-built templates and design elements. Elementor also supports various e-commerce solutions, making it easy to build an online store with the platform.

Other options:

Siteorigin Builder is a page builder platform that is not as intuitive and easy to work with as Elementor, but is the preferred builder for developers who want to achieve a fast site.

Avoid these:

WP Bakery & Beaver Builder

Best WordPress themes for speed:

We recommend finding a lightweight theme that has the functionality you need. Or a theme that is built for the chosen page builder. Start with an empty shell for example. Elementor Hello Theme or visit a site with good themes, for example Themeforest

More actions to consider

• Update everything continuously.
• Use the latest version of PHP.
• Only install high-quality plugins.
• Try using lazy loading on your content.
• Do not host videos on your server.
• Simplify your page designs and content.
• Clean up your WordPress database.
• Restrict or disable post audits.
• Avoid redirects.
• Turn off pingbacks and trackbacks.
• Compress files with GZIP.
• Limit external scripts.
• Avoid hotlinking.
• Schedule backup tasks for low traffic periods.
• Split long posts into multiple parts.
• Paginate posts.
• Paginate comments.

For further optimization, we also recommend this article