Once your website starts taking off, you want to optimize WordPress for heavy traffic. Have you ever been to a site, find that it is moving as though you are still using a broadband connection from 1997, and just click the BACK button in frustration? You do not want that to happen to your readers, so if you are getting upwards of 1,000 or so visits in a day, it is important to optimize your WordPress.

Why do I need to?

Many people have asked this before, why would I need to optimize my WordPress? Remember that most average WordPress themes are not optimized right from the start. This is not a warning that you should not use a basic theme, it just means that in order to get the most out of it, you will have to customize it a bit. You will notice that as we proceed, the steps become increasingly difficult.

Step one – Get a good host

You can optimize your WordPress every which way you like, but if you have a bad hosting company, nothing is going to change. Even though shared plans such as HostGator and GoDaddy work well for the ‘smaller’ sites, once you start getting thousands of hits, you may need something built around you, not a place where you are just one of many sharing the space.

W3 Total Cache

It is not possible to recommend W3 Total Cache enough. Even though there are countless other caching plugins available, and many of them have their own benefits and drawbacks, W3 Total Cache does enough to make it the gold standard of caching plugins. Features such as auto-minifying and support for a CDN make this a must-have. Keep in mind that the right setup is important, otherwise it may even slow your site down.

Get rid of unnecessary plugins

Many users tend to go overboard on plugins for WordPress the first time around. There are so many great features that you think you might use one day, why not install it now? Remember that these extra JavaScript files have a direct impact on the load time of every single page. There are plugins that do very little besides save you from doing some things manually, remember that it might be beneficial to limit the number of plugins and only install the ones that you absolutely need. Honestly, is there are really a need for a widget that tells you the time zones in five different continents? Review the plugins you have and remove those that serve no real need.

Do not be afraid to experiment!

This is going to make many people feel uncomfortable, but it is the only way that you can move forward. You can try getting rid of things, caching, and different combinations or plugins until you find something that works for you. Before you know it, you will have a WordPress customized just the way you like it at the speeds that your visitors appreciate