This guide shows you how to speed up your WordPress website on Web60 hosting.
Check Your Website Speed First
Before making changes, test your current speed using Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix. This gives you a starting point to measure improvements.
Type your website address into either tool and note the score. Anything below 70 needs work.
Optimise Your Images
Large images are the biggest cause of slow websites. Most business owners upload photos straight from their phone or camera without resizing them.
- Resize images before uploading: Use free tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh to compress images. Aim for under 200KB per image.
- Install an image plugin: Add Smush or ShortPixel to your WordPress site. These automatically compress new uploads.
- Convert to WebP format: Modern browsers load WebP images faster. The Converter for Media plugin handles this automatically.
Remove Unnecessary Plugins
Every plugin adds code that slows your website. Review your installed plugins monthly.
- Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins in your WordPress dashboard
- Deactivate plugins you haven't used in three months
- Delete deactivated plugins completely
- Keep security, backup, and SEO plugins active
Choose a Fast WordPress Theme
Heavy themes with lots of features slow your website. Business websites work best with simple, clean themes.
Popular fast themes include Astra, GeneratePress, and Kadence. Avoid themes with built-in page builders unless you specifically need them.
Enable Caching
Web60 includes server-level caching, but adding a WordPress caching plugin provides extra speed benefits.
Install WP Rocket or WP Super Cache. These plugins create static versions of your pages so they load faster for visitors.
Clean Your WordPress Database
Over time, WordPress stores unnecessary data that slows your site. Clean this monthly using WP-Optimize plugin.
The plugin removes:
- Spam comments
- Unused post revisions
- Expired transients
- Orphaned metadata
Check Your Hosting Performance
Log into your Web60 account dashboard to check resource usage. If your site consistently uses over 80% of available resources, your traffic may have outgrown your current plan.
High resource usage often indicates:
- Too many poorly optimised plugins
- Lack of image compression
- Database bloat
- Excessive spam bot traffic
Monitor Ongoing Performance
Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track your website speed over time. Both tools are free and show how performance affects visitor behaviour.
Test your speed monthly and after making major changes like adding new plugins or updating your theme.
If you're still stuck with slow loading times after following these steps, contact Web60 support for assistance with your specific website configuration.
FAQ
Q: How fast should my WordPress website load?
A: Your website should load in under 3 seconds. Google recommends under 2.5 seconds for the best user experience and search rankings.
Q: Will optimising images affect their quality?
A: Modern compression tools maintain visual quality while reducing file size. Most visitors won't notice any difference in image appearance.
Q: How many plugins can I safely install?
A: There's no specific limit, but focus on quality over quantity. 10-15 well-coded plugins typically won't slow your site if properly optimised.
Q: Does Web60 include caching already?
A: Yes, Web60 provides server-level caching. Adding a WordPress caching plugin provides additional performance benefits on top of this.
Q: Why is my website slower in the evening?
A: Evening hours see higher internet traffic across Ireland. This is normal and affects all websites slightly during peak usage times.
Q: Can a slow website hurt my Google rankings?
A: Yes, Google uses page speed as a ranking factor. Slow websites also increase bounce rates, which negatively impacts your search visibility.
Q: How often should I optimise my website performance?
A: Review performance monthly and after major changes. Regular maintenance prevents small issues from becoming bigger problems.
Last updated: 1 March 2026