Sometimes (often) here at Forward Web we come across WordPress websites that are slow/bloated and although there are many things that can be done to improve the performance of a WordPress website (sometimes at the server level). Here are some basic plugins you can install (as a beginner) that will help improve the performance of your WordPress website.
Use Google Libraries is a simple, easy to use plugin that allows your WordPress site to use the content distribution network side of Google’s AJAX Library API, rather than serving the files from your WordPress install directly.
To use the Google Libraries Plugin all you need to do is install the plugin and you are done.
Here are some of the potential performance benefits from installing the Use Google Libraries Plugin:
- increases the chance that a user already has these files cached
- takes load off your server
- uses compressed versions of the libraries (where available)
- Google’s servers are set up to negotiate HTTP compression with the requesting browser
Download Google Libraries Here: https://wordpress.org/support/view/plugin-reviews/use-google-libraries
Keeping your database clean and optimized will naturally help increase the speed of your WordPress website. Simple but effective plugin WP-Optimize allows you to extensively clean your WordPress database and optimize it without doing manual queries (usually done via PHPmyAdmin). In addition, WP-Optimize allows you to easily disable comments and trackbacks for all previously published posts and pages (which usually generate spam and can slow down your website).
Although Database cleanups are usually for the more advanced users, WP-Optimize allows the beginner/novice user to easily clean and maintain your WordPress database (like always, just make sure you back-up your database before performing your first clean-up).
Download WP-Optimize Here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-optimize/
WP Fastest Cache creates static html files from your dynamic WordPress website. This process helps save your website from consuming Ram (memory) and CPU which in turn, speeds up your WordPress website. Although WP Fastest Cache has a Free and Paid version, the Free Version will do plenty (in regards to speeding up you WordPress website).
Since establishing Caching systems are for more advanced users, here are some of the most general settings you can enable within the WP Fastest Cache that will speed up your website.
Download WP Fastest Cache Here: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-fastest-cache/