Introduction
You’ve probably seen countless blogs promoting mediocre hosting, CDNs, and cache plugins just to earn commissions. In this guide, I promise zero affiliate links. You get honest, data-driven recommendations on how to fix a slow WordPress site and pass Core Web Vitals in 2026.
First published in 2013 and updated ever since, this tutorial dives into real specs and testing tools. Ready to start? Here are the steps:
- Move your DNS to Cloudflare or QUIC
- Avoid mainstream hosts
- Configure hosting settings
- Use Cloudflare APO or QUIC.cloud
- Avoid or optimize page builders
- Choose and set up image optimization
- Configure a smart cache plugin
- Pair Perfmatters with your cache
- Host or delay third-party scripts
- Preload critical files
- Remove unused CSS the right way
- Check plugins for speed issues
- Disable plugins on specific pages
- Understand LCP sub-parts
- Avoid layout shifts
- Keep resource usage under 50%
- Use WP-Optimize for database cleanup
- Optimize your mobile site
- Overview of speed plugins
- Hire a developer if needed
- See my personal setup