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PerformanceMar 05, 2026

How to improve your website's speed

Practical optimisations to get an excellent Core Web Vitals score and a faster site.

How to improve your website's speed

A slow website loses money. Every extra second of load time reduces conversion between 7 % and 12 %, according to Google and Akamai data. And since 2021, performance is a ranking factor in Google: slow sites rank lower, get fewer visits and convert worse on top of that. Improving speed isn't optional: it's the most profitable lever you can pull on your site, and one of the few where the return is measurable in days rather than months. This guide covers the optimisations that actually move the needle, in order of impact, so you can start with what gives most bang for the buck.

Know your Core Web Vitals

Before optimising, measure. The three KPIs Google evaluates:

  • LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): time until the main element is visible. Target: < 2.5s.
  • CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): how much layout «jumps» as it loads. Target: < 0.1.
  • INP (Interaction to Next Paint): latency when interacting. Target: < 200ms.

Tools: PageSpeed Insights, WebPageTest and Chrome DevTools Lighthouse. Always measure with real-world data (CrUX), not just synthetic tests.

Optimise images (the fastest win)

Images are 60-70 % of the average web page weight. Immediate actions:

  • Convert everything to WebP or AVIF. Typical 30-50 % savings vs JPEG.
  • Serve responsive sizes with srcset.
  • Apply native lazy loading (loading="lazy") to all below-the-fold images.
  • Set width and height in HTML to prevent CLS.
  • Compress with tools like Squoosh, ImageOptim or an automated pipeline.

Reduce JavaScript

JS is what kills INP the most. It's the most common problem on WordPress sites with many plugins:

  1. Audit the bundle with Lighthouse: detect unused scripts.
  2. Load non-critical scripts with defer or async.
  3. Remove plugins that add more than they bring.
  4. Move trackers to Google Tag Manager and load after LCP.
  5. If you use a framework, split code by route (code splitting).

CDN, caching and quality hosting

A CDN serves your content from a server near the user. It cuts TTFB 30-60 % outside your home country. Recommended options:

  • Cloudflare (free plan already makes a difference).
  • Bunny CDN (cheap and simple, $1/month minimum).
  • Vercel or Netlify if your stack is Next.js or Astro.
  • Server cache: WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache or your hosting's native cache.

A 1.8-second website converts twice as much as a 4-second one. Speed isn't aesthetics: it's the difference between selling and not selling.

Numbers you should hit after optimising

If you've done your homework, you should reach:

  • LCP between 1.5s and 2.2s on mobile.
  • CLS below 0.05.
  • INP below 150ms.
  • PageSpeed Insights: 90+ on mobile and 95+ on desktop.

If your site doesn't hit those numbers, at Tuagenciaweb we run end-to-end performance audits and apply the optimisations for you. The typical engagement takes 2-3 weeks and reports visible gains: faster LCP, better Lighthouse scores and, what matters most, higher conversion. Request a free quote and we'll send you a first diagnostic of your current site.