Church Website performance optimization
Faster, Friendlier, more Accessible
Church Website Performance Optimization | Reduce Image Size
Four ways to reduce image size and increase load time.
Change Image size or Crop
Most Images are far larger than they need to be. GT Metrix will tell you how big they are in GB, MB, or KB. On this website, the largest image is 85KB, and the average is 25KB, look to see if your images are about this size. Try to make the image fit the need by using the ‘scale’ feature in the edit feature of the media folder or edit and upload. Keep backups of originals! TingPNG is a great and free service to do this.
TIP 1: Videos cannot be cropped or compressed easily. It is best not to embed them on any page.
TIP 2: This step will save you 60% of our page speed, after this, each step only saves a small percentage. (Don’t skip this step)
Change image format, with a Plugin
Most images are jpg, gif, or png. Know there are next-generation image formats, there are Webp, jpg 2000, and jpeg XR. These formats are designed specifically for modern web browsers. We recommend Webp, but they require a plugin such as ShortPixel, Imagify, Optimole, WebP Converter For Media, and SG Optimizer. Even if you use a plugin, you still need to optimize the image size.
Use a Image Cache Plugin
A Cache plugin help store a version of your webpage so that it can be displayed on a browser faster. Webpages often are created the moment the user asks for them, a cache keeps a rebuilt copy to display it faster. Even if you use a cache, you still need to optimize the image size. Here are some cache plugins we have used and recommend: SG Optimizer, WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, WP Fastest Cache, and some hosting companies have started providing their own cache options.
Use Image CDN
A Content Deliver system (CDN) makes copies of your web page and stores them on servers located all over the world. The CDN system answers a request for your webpage from the service that is nearest or faster. Even if you use a CDN, you still need to optimize the image size.
Church Website Performance Optimization | Advanced
This step does require plugins (most are free)
You don’t need everything all the time.
Disable Scripts: Did you know that often your contact form loads on every page on your website? Many plugins and WordPress files load on every single page, whether they are needed or not. Getting rid of these scripts selectively can save a lot of time on a page load. We recommended and have used Perfmatters, and Asset Cleanup. Perfmatters is the easiest, Asset Cleanup is the most powerful.
TIP 1: Start with recommended setting.
TIP 2: Review these videos first. Use Perfmatters and Use Asset CleanUp
Script Plugins
Both Plugins bring you to a place where you can see what is loading on each page. The image above shows you have on this homepage, Everest Forms is loading some code. I don’t use forms on my homepage, so I disabled them. Now when the page is loaded, this will not load or be included in your cache, hence the page is smaller and faster.
TIP 1: Do this slowly and a page at a time. You can disable scripts that the page needs. Disable, Clear Cache, Check, Repeat.
TIP 2: The scripts can be turned back on at any time. So if you make a mistake, no worries.
Use a Cache Plugin
A Full Cache plugin for all your files, not just your images. They store a version of your webpage so that it can be displayed on a browser faster. Webpages often are created the moment the user asks for them, a cache keeps a rebuilt copy to display it faster. Even if you use a cache, you still need to optimize the image size. Here are some cache plugins we have used and recommend: SG Optimizer, WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, WP Fastest Cache,
Use CDN
A Content Deliver system (CDN) makes copies of your web page and stores them on servers located all over the world. The CDN system answers a request for your webpage from the service that is nearest or faster. Even if you use a CDN, you still need to optimize the image size. We have used Cloudflare CDN for many years and we can recommend it. It works great with WordPress. Some hosts like SiteGround provide this as part of your hosting. Here is a video on how to set up Cloudflare, it does require some technical skills, but this video is helpful.
Church Website Performance Optimization | FAQ
Why is Page Speed Important?
Search Engines now consider the user’s experience with a page in determining its ranking. Poor user experience leads to a less helpful page ranking. Church Website Performance Optimization hopes to help with that.
How to a Measure Page Speed?
The best place is Google Page Speed. This rates your page with real user experience, not with sample tests like other page speed tests.
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