Reginald Chan

Category: Web Development

  • How To Make My WordPress Lightweight And Loads Blazing Fast?

    How To Make My WordPress Lightweight And Loads Blazing Fast?

    Having a fast loading WordPress website is important and there is absolutely no denial in this. While there are many tricks to improve the loading speed such as using cache plugin, it is important to understand that a lightweight WordPress website loads way faster than a heavy one.

    So, how to make my WordPress lightweight?

    I’m happy that you asked and in this article, I’ll share with you exactly how I made my WordPress lightweight and improved the loading speed dramatically.

    But Wait. Who Am I?

    My name is Reginald and you can call me “Reg”. I’m the founder of this blog as well as the founder of the WordPress agency, WP Maven. I do WordPress for a living and been doing this passionately since 2004.

    A well optimized WordPress site is not only improves the loading speed, it makes your visitors happy and ranks better on Google too.

    Here’s the latest speed optimization I did for my corporate site. Take a look.

    Lightweight WordPress Site Loads Faster

    Lightweight WordPress Site Loads Faster

    For the record, the site above has 20 WordPress plugins (essential ones only), uses Kinsta hosting and WP Rocket. The website is build on Oxygen Builder and Advanced Gutenberg Blocks.

    1. WordPress Hosting

    First and foremost, the most effective way to make a WordPress website loads blazing fast is by using the right hosting solution.

    And I don’t mean any hosting solution.

    You see, a good WordPress host will ensure that the server is optimized for WordPress websites. NGINX, Apache etc. You get the point.

    If you are going for a cheaper WordPress hosting solution, make sure that you understands what you are signing up for. An easy alternative is to use managed WordPress hosting solutions such as Kinsta or litespeed shared hosting.

    “You don’t need to have a website loading under 1 second (even though it is very cool). Make it under 3 seconds and you will be just fine.”

    Reginald Chan

    Depending on your budget, there are quite a few great WordPress hosting that you can take a look at including:

    • Kinsta hosting (starts at $30 per month)
    • Litespeed WordPress hosting (starts at $10 per month)

    2. WordPress Theme

    Lightweight WordPress Themes

    Having a lightweight WordPress site means having a lightweight WordPress theme. A lightweight theme means that it is as bloat free as it can gets.

    Building a WordPress site is easy—get yourself a nice website builder and create a beautiful template with drag and drop. But there’s a problem.

    Some of these drag and drop builders come with tons of bloat items, from CSS to other irrelevant codes. This makes your website ‘heavy’ and this will slow down your site loading speed.

    In other words, your website is not be that blazing fast anymore.

    So, what are the best WordPress themes that are lightweight? Glad you asked. Here’s my favorite drag and drop WordPress theme builders that are super lightweight.

    “This page that you are reading is build solely on Oxygen Builder and Thrive Architect. Oxygen Builder is extremely lean and lightweight while Thrive Architect allows me to curate engaging content in just a few clicks.”

    – Reginald Chan –

    3. Remove Unwanted Plugins

    Remove Unwanted Plugins To Make WordPress Lightweight

    If you want to make your WordPress lightweight, focus in removing unwanted plugins. For example, I used to run over 40+ plugins on a single WordPress site. The sheer number of plugin makes it tough for me to manage my WordPress and optimize it properly.

    With a few tweaks and customization, I was able to remove unwanted plugins and make my WordPress lighter.

    Take a look at the plugins you had installed. Uninstall those who are no longer in use and redundant.

    4. Use A Cache Plugin

    Install WordPress Cache Plugin

    Using a WordPress cache plugin goes a long way. From optimizing codes (HTML, CSS and JS) to preloading your site files so they get delivered faster to your web visitors.

    There are many cache plugins found in the WordPress repository and I personally recommend WP Rocket. As a matter of fact, I was so happy with WP Rocket that I signed up for 24 months for additional discounts.

    Some of the best WordPress cache plugins are:

    • WP Rocket
    • WP Super Cache
    • Autoptimize

    5. Use A CDN

    How To Use CDN To Make WordPress Faster

    A CDN has many usages, including serving files and images from the nearest datacenters. All my sites are using Kinsta CDN for general static files while I use Gumlet to as my image CDN.

    There are also great alternatives such as Cloudflare CDN which performs decently well too.

    6. Optimize Images

    Optimize Images To Make WordPress Lightweight

    Last but not least, make it a point to optimize all images before uploading to WordPress. There are many ways to optimize the images and one of them is to resize the images based on your site’s image dimension. 

    Not sure how to do it?

    Here are some of the best and free WordPress image optimizers that you can download today.​

    Building A WordPress Website That Is Lightweight

    The process of building a lightweight WordPress site isn’t a walk in the park. It takes time, effort and patience to get it right (such as configuring WP Rocket). Nonetheless, Google is playing the speed factor for websites and if you want better ranking on Google, make sure you are making your WordPress website as lightweight as possible.

  • 5 Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers To Improve Your SEO Ranking

    5 Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers To Improve Your SEO Ranking

    Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers

    Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers 2020

    Some months back, I was wondering if I’m using the best WordPress SEO plugin for my blogs (yes, it’s plural). You see, I migrated Yoast SEO to Rank Math in early 2019 and Rank Math was great. But, I couldn’t stop thinking if there is other better WordPress SEO plugins that I should be using which will help me in my WP sites rankings.

    After a good two months of research, I came into conclusion on the best WordPress SEO plugin that I should be using.

    And here’s the funny thing.

    My research had opened up MORE SEO plugins—which ultimately, I decided to create this post.

    I hope this post helps you to decide the best SEO plugin for your WordPress site!

    Which Is The Best SEO Plugin For WordPress In 2020?

    If you are looking for a quick summary, here’s are the top WordPress SEO plugins that will help you increase your blog ranking quickly and effectively.

    Our Top Rated Products

    #1st RatedSEOPress Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers

    SEOPress

    I discoverd that SEOPress is the best WordPress plugin that fits my needs. Unlimited websites and all SEO features including schemas, markps and broken link checker, you can easily remove several plugins at one go with SEOPress.

    #2nd Rated#2nd Rated#2nd RatedRank Math Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers

    Rank Math

    Prior to SEOPress, I use Rank Math due to superiority (multiple primary keywords and social SEO). This is a best free WordPress plugin for bloggers and it offers tons of SEO features to help your article rank faster on search engines.

    #3rd RatedYoast SEO Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers

    Yoast SEO

    I’d used Yoast SEO longer than I can ever recall. This is an awesome WordPress plugin that performs decently well for bloggers. It is rather easy to setup and it doesn’t take an SEO wizard to use the plugin and configure your site for SEO properly.

    #4th RatedAll In One SEO Pack Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers

    All In One SEO Pack

    Make no mistake with AIOS. This SEO plugin is extremely easy to use and setup. All In One SEO plugin is a good choice for bloggers (too) who are looking for a simple plugin to start sending the right signals to Google (for more blog traffic).

    #5th RatedBroken Link Checker Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers

    Broken Link Checker

    I’m going to cheat a little. Broken Link Checker is the most popular SEO plugin when it comes to checking for broken links. Yes, it is not really a full-fledged SEO plugin. However, it is really easy to use (literally a plug-and-play plugin with no skills or prior knowledge required). The down side, this plugin requires heavy resources to run especially for large sites.

    Choosing The Best WordPress Plugin

    If you are looking for a reliable WordPress plugin, you can’t go wrong with SEOPress.

    Okay, I heard you.

    SEOPress is a premium WordPress SEO plugin that costs $39 per year for unlimited sites. And if you are not ready to invest right now, there’s also SEOPress free version which gives you all the basic goodies of an SEO plugin.

    SEOPress Best WordPress SEO Plugins For Bloggers

    SEOPress Pro

    Personally, SEOPress is one of the best WordPress investment I had done. With its inbuilt Dublin Core, I am able to format and structure my posts and pages to rank higher on Google.

    What Is The Best Alternative To SEOPress?

    For me, there is no denial that SEOPress is the best WordPress SEO plugin for bloggers. If SEOPress isn’t your cup of ‘tea’, a good alternative to SEOPress is Rank Math.

    At this point of writing, Rank Math is a free WordPress SEO plugin that offers significantly more SEO features compared to other free SEO plugins in the market.

    As the summary, SEOPress and Rank Math are two of the best WordPress plugins for bloggers in 2020—and you can’t go wrong with any of them.

  • 5 Most Powerful WordPress Hosting In Performance And Pricing 2020

    5 Most Powerful WordPress Hosting In Performance And Pricing 2020

    Most Powerful WordPress Hosting

    The Most Powerful WordPress Hosting 2020

    I’m a huge gig when it comes to web hosting. I have read and published posts related to “the best WordPress hosting”, “the cheapest WordPress hosting” and “the ultimate WordPress hosting” to name a few. But this is definitely the first to write about the most powerful WordPress hosting for 2020.

    Yes, you read this right.

    This post is not about just-any-other web hosting companies—these are the most powerful WordPress hosting in terms of performance, market share and of course, my personal favorite … customer support.

    So now, if you are tired of reading all those crap and full of promotion based WordPress hosting review, you are going to love this WordPress hosting review.

    Let’s dig in!

    What Is The Most Powerful WordPress Hosting Means Like?

    Honestly, there could be dozens of variations but for me, it boils down to these simple checklist:

    • Overall features
    • Customer support
    • Pricing strategy

    “More importantly, a powerful WordPress hosting is someone you can trust and backs you up when you need it.”

    Reginald Chan

    List Of The Most Powerful WordPress Hosting 2020

    BlueHost

    BlueHost Powerful WordPress Hosting

    Features

    1-click WordPress installation and multiple perks such as free domain and SSL are certainly huge plus points.

    Support

    Support is rather okay. They are not the best in the market but certainly delivers the support when you needed.

    Pricing

    BlueHost offers an excellent introductory WordPress hosting price that is unbeatable by many.

    Overall rating :  4.5 / 5

    Verdict: BlueHost is my favorite option when it comes to cheap and reliable WordPress hosting. It offers everything I need to start a blog without burning a hole in my wallet. With pricing starts at $3 per month, you can’t go wrong with BlueHost.

    Suitable for: Small WordPress websites, beginners and low traffic websites.

    SiteGround

    BlueHost Powerful WordPress Hosting

    Features

    One of the most unique semi-managed WordPress hosting that offers flexibility and scalability.

    Support

    Support is by far the best among the ‘lower’ tier WordPress hosting. Live chat is definitely a huge bonus.

    Pricing

    SiteGround comes with 3-tier WordPress hosting that are affordable and suitable for small to large sites.

    Overall rating :  4.5 / 5

    Verdict: SiteGround is another great and powerful WordPress hosting provider. It offers a nice value pack, along with top notch customer support. However, its entry level plan doesn’t come with much perks especially if you are serious in having a fast loading WordPress website.

    Suitable for: Small WordPress websites, beginners and low-medium traffic websites.

    Flywheel

    FlyWheel Powerful WordPress Hosting

    Features

    Flywheel is apart of the WPEngine family and it is a very popular option for agencies due to whitelabeling.

    Support

    Support is rather good and courteous. However, it doesn’t offer live chat which could be improved.

    Pricing

    Flywheel is highly affordable and you can even transfer the billing to your clients in just 1-click without hassle.

    Overall rating :  4 / 5

    Verdict: Flywheel is an excellent WordPress hosting provider for creative agencies and freelancers. The biggest advantage using Flywheel is the ability to transfer payments to your clients in just 1-click (which is pretty awesome). It’s pricing of $15 for a tiny site (up to 5,000 visits a month) is a great entry level for a fully managed WordPress hosting solution.

    Suitable for: Creative agencies, freelancers, WordPress developers and serious bloggers.

    Kinsta

    Kinsta Powerful WordPress Hosting

    Features

    Google Cloud Platform, CDN and DNS management make Kinsta stay right ahead of its competitors in the race.

    Support

    Support at Kinsta is superb with 24/7 live chat support and super courteous suppor team members.

    Pricing

    Kinsta is not the cheapest managed WordPress hosting but the pricing is rather decend according to market price.

    Overall rating :  4.5 / 5

    Verdict: Kinsta hosting is by far my favorite and most powerful WordPress hosting I had ever reviewed. This site is hosted on Kinsta and if you want to have an excellent experience with web hosting, Kinsta is the answer. 

    Suitable for: Medium to high traffic websites, business owners and serious website owners.

    WP Engine

    WP Engine Powerful WordPress Hosting

    Features

    Optimized servers for speed and bullet proof security features are some of the WP Engine selling points.

    Support

    WP Engine excels in customer support and its support team are always happy to chip in to help out.

    Pricing

    WP Engine is priced slightly higher than the market median. It’s entry level is also higher than the rest in the market.

    Overall rating :  3.5 / 5

    Verdict: WP Engine is one of the leading managed WordPress hosting provider in the world. Their backend and branding give a very premium feel and in terms of performance, they are slightly slower than Kinsta but excels above the rest.

    Suitable for: Medium to high traffic websites and while its plans are geared towards low to mid tier plans, WP Engine enterprise plan is one of the most expensive in the market with above average server performance.

    Which Is The Most Powerful WordPress Hosting Provider In 2020?

    This is an excellent question. For me, I would go with Kinsta hosting anytime of the day mainly for their excellent support. If you are having a bad day, speak to the support team and I’m sure they will delight you more than you can ever imagine!

  • Top 5 Best WordPress Builders Plugin 2020 [Comparison]

    Top 5 Best WordPress Builders Plugin 2020 [Comparison]

    Best WordPress Theme Builders 2020 Based On Ranking

    ​The Best WordPress Theme Builders Software Comparison 2020 By Ranking

    Are you looking for the best WordPress theme builder comparison? In this article, we will go through ​only the best WordPress theme builders in 2020—and sort them by ranking.

    ​Sounds good?

    ​Let’s get started.

    1. ​Oxygen Builder

    First in the list of the best WordPress builder 2020 is no other than Oxygen Builder. Oxygen Builder is the cleanest and leanest WordPress builder plugin that I had ever used.

    Oxygen Builder Review 2020

    But, it may not be suitable for everyone.

    Read the details below to learn more.

    ​Not sure if Oxygen Builder is the right one for you? Check this out.

    Key Features Rating
    ​Overall drag and drop feature ​Drag and drop is very intuitive. Powerful at the very least.
    ​Loading speed

    ​Beats every WordPress builders without any cache plugin
    ​Bloat free

    ​Super clean and lean
    ​Gutenberg integration

    ​Fully support Gutenberg blocks

    By far, Oxygen is the best theme builder for WordPress developers and bloggers who have some level of coding skills (ouch). While it is still beginner friendly, it takes a little time to really master and discover what Oxygen can do for you.

    ​This is how Oxygen Builder looks like on the backend.

    Oxygen Builder Backend

    ​Now, the downside of Oxygen. Just like any other WordPress builder tools, Oxygen has its downside and disadvantages too.

    • ​It has some core features missing as compared to other WordPress builders (example, the undo button)
    • ​Activating Oxygen means you will deactivate any active themes
    • Oxygen is so lightweight that it might not have some core files found in common WordPress themes
    • Learning curve to use Oxygen Builder is slightly higher than moderate

    ​Oxygen comes with three pricing—Basic ($99), WooCommerce ($149) and Agency ($169). All of these three plans come with lifetime access and unlimited website usage (which is a plus point)

    ​2. Thrive Themes Builder

    ​Make no mistake. Thrive Themes Builder is definitely on my second spot when it comes to ​the best Word​Press theme builder plugin in 2020.Thrive Themes Builder is the latest release and it had taken the WordPress industry by storm.

    Thrive Themes Builder Best WordPress Theme Builder 2020

    ​​Thrive Themes Builder comes with Thrive Architect and Thrive Leads integrated with it. And this means that you are getting the full suite of what Thrive Themes can offer.

    Here are the key features of Thrive Themes Builder.

    Key Features Rating

    ​Drag and drop builder

    		 ​Very intuitive and uninstalling doesn’t break your site
    ​Ease of setup ​Pretty neat and fast

    ​Demos and templates

    ​Over 300+ ready for download
    ​Compatibility​ ​Works well with most of the WordPress plugins

    ​Thrive Themes Builder uses Shapeshift theme. This allows you to easily create a customized WordPress theme with drag and drop feature and without touching a single line of code.

    ​Watch this video to learn how you can create a website template from scratch using Thrive Themes Builder and Shapeshift (under 2 minutes flat)!

    ​Is there anything I dislike about Thrive Themes Builder?

    ​To be honest, I tried hard but I couldn’t find something that I really dislike using Thrive Themes Builder. If I would need to choose one, I would say that my biggest concern is having to pay $19 for the ​subscription monthly for Thrive Membership.

    ​Other than that, I’m a superb happy customer with Thrive Themes Builder. Click the below button to try Thrive Themes Builder yourself!

    ​3. Elementor Pro

    Elementor is one of the most popular WordPress theme builder. Elementor calls themselves as the #1 free WordPress Page Builder and that is very true. With over 4 million active downloads, Elementor is definitely one of the heavy hitters in the WordPress world.

    Elementor Best WordPress Theme Builder Plugin

    ​Prior to moving to Oxygen + Thrive Architect (here’s the guide on how I made both Oxygen and Thrive Architect play well with each other), I was using Elementor Pro and mind you, I was a happy user!

    ​And for the record, I still use Elementor Pro for some of my sites but not my main sites like this one. 

    ​I used Elementor as early as their beta stage—and I cannot be happier. Here are some of the best Elementor features for WordPress owners.

    Key Features Rating
    ​Affordability

    ​Comes with both free and paid version
    ​Customize everything ​Drag and drop everything

    ​Mass usage

    		 ​Suitable for ​designers, developers, marketers, and entrepreneurs
    ​Ready made templates

    ​Over 80+ ready made templates

    ​There is no denial that Elementor is one of the best in the market. However, it is important to note that the free Elementor version comes with very limited features. 

    ​At the same time, there are many Elementor addons that you can install and use to further improve the experience and end results of your WordPress design.

    If you are looking for a great Word​Press theme builder software 2020, you can’t go wrong with Elementor.

    ​4. Divi Theme Builder

    ​Divi Theme builder is not far the pack and as a matter of fact, it is the fourth in the top 5 best ​​Word​Press theme builder plugin in 2020. Divi had long been in the backseat in the WordPress builder industry but they started to bounce back to the top 5 thanks to the all new Divi shape dividers feature.

    Divi Theme Builder Best WordPress Builders 2020

    ​Here are the important features of Divi theme builder.

    Key Features Rating
    ​Ready made modules ​40+ ready made website templates
    ​Ready made​ designs / elements ​800+ demos with 1-click ​install function
    ​Codeless ​​No coding skills required

    ​Learning curve

    		 ​Easy for beginners

    ​Divi Theme Builder is one of the most popular WordPress builders used by website developers. For starters, it is a one-time purchase that comes with unlimited websites and unlimited updates.

    ​Here are some of the downsides using Divi Theme Builder:

    • ​Very bloated
    • ​Ready made templates are large in size and impact website loading speed
    • Not suitable for shared hosting

    ​Nonetheless, ​Divi Theme Builder is still a powerful option—especially in the hands of a WordPress developer who knows how to remove the bloat from Divi. 

    ​On the side, it is important to note that Divi scores well in terms of usability and beginner-friendly. With yearly pricing starts at $89 and lifetime license at $247, this is definitely a well-invested WordPress tool for website development.

    ​5. Beaver Builder

    Last but not least, Beaver Builder. Beaver Builder is a powerful WordPress Page Builder plugin that is used by both beginners and professionals.

    ​Here’s a quick video of Beaver Builder.

    ​I do use Beaver Builder for some of my clients works, but not my main tool. What I really love about Beaver Builder are as follow.

    Key Features Rating
    ​Drag and drop builder ​Very intuitive and powerful

    ​Agency features

    		 ​White-labeling, override core templates, etc.
    ​Help and support ​One of the friendliest community around
    ​Availability in theme builder and plugin ​Highly compatible and great options

    ​If you are looking for the top WordPress builders in 2020 based on ranking, you can’t go wrong with Beaver Builder.

    ​Some of the downsides that you should take note are:

    • ​Higher pricing tier (starts at $99 for the standard package)
    • ​Powerful features are available from mid-tier and higher
    • The ​Beaver Builder theme is only available from mid-tier onwards

    ​Overall, Beaver Builder is still a nice WordPress theme builder tool. It is powerful and offers many possibilities, especially in creating a website design of your choice.

    WordPress ​Theme ​​Builder ​Comparison

    ​There are many options when it comes to choosing the best WordPress theme builder that fits your need. Here’s my top choice of WordPress theme builders based on rankings:

    1. ​Oxygen Builder — Best for web developers
    2. Thrive Themes Builder — Best for bloggers and Internet Marketers
    3. Elementor Pro — Best for bloggers
    4. Divi Theme Builder — Best for agency and business owners
    5. Beaver Builder — Best for agency-level
  • How To Use Oxygen With Other WordPress Builders?

    How To Use Oxygen With Other WordPress Builders?

    How To Use Oxygen With Other WordPress Builders

    ​How To Use WordPress Builders With Oxygen Builder?

    ​Oxygen Builder is one of the finest and most lean WordPress builders I had used. Elementor, Beaver Builder and Divi don’t come even close to what Oxygen Builder can offer.

    But, there’s a little problem.

    Oxygen Builder is known for not working well with other WordPress theme builders in the market. You cannot just install a WordPress ​theme and hope that it plays nicely with Oxygen.

    ​Often time, this WordPress guide is extremely important for those who had a large site and use one or more WordPress theme builder. Migrating everything to Oxygen not only takes time but a lot of effort too.

    ​There’s a little trick over it. Now, if you love watching video, hit the play button to watch how you can get Oxygen to work with any WordPress theme builder.

    ​How To Use Oxygen With Other WordPress Builders?

    ​By default, ​Oxygen Builder is a WordPress builder by itself. Therefore, I highly recommend you to use Oxygen with other WordPress builders only if you have a large site and it would be massive hassle to convert everything into Oxygen.

    It takes over $1,000 to complete the entire site migration to Oxygen. If this is something you are keen on, you can reach out to me and I’m happy to help you in anyway possible.

    ​There are two simple steps you need to take in order to use Oxygen with other WordPress builders:

    1. 1​Build a layout template for current/existing layout
    2. 2​Build a layout template for new posts and pages using Oxygen

    ​Part 1: Build A Layout Template For Existing Layout

    ​This is an important step to ensure that your website design do not break when you ​activate Oxygen Builder. Here are the steps you need to take.

    1. 1​Get a copy of Oxygen Builder
    2. 2​Install and activate Oxygen Builder license
    3. 3​Disable all cache plugin
    4. 4​Head over to Oxygen » Templates » ​Add New Template

    ​I am a huge fan of Thrive Architect and therefore, the following example will be integrating Thrive Architect into Oxygen Builder.

    “​Building an Oxygen template for all your old blog post is the first step and to avoid any distorted layouts when using Oxygen Builder.”

    – ​Reginald ​Chan –

    Integrate Thrive Architect Into Oxygen Builder

    • ​Add title: Put in a name for your Oxygen Template.
    • ​Inherit design from other template: None
    • ​Where does this template apply?: Singular (check Posts and Pages only)

    ​Once the above is done, click “Edit with Oxygen.”

    ​This template is to ensure that your website layout is not broken in anyway. Thus, you will be using Inner Content element on Oxygen Builder.

    ​By default, you will see an empty page. Select the panel on the left and search for Inner Content. Click on it to have the element imported to the layout.

    Inner Content Oxygen Builder

    ​For easier navigation, you can use Structure to have a bird’s eye view on the entire page.

    ​Now that this is done, you can perform additional setups such as screen layout.

    ​I set different layouts on different screen size. In order to do so, you need to ensure that the Inner Content element is location inside a ​Divider.

    Different Margin And Padding using Oxygen

    Part 2: ​Creating A New Template With Oxygen For New Posts And Pages

    ​Once you had completed the above steps, you need to create a new template with Oxygen. This will be used for ALL blog posts and pages that you create.

    “​Templates in Oxygen Builder is like using Global Widgets for Elementor. When you use them right, you are going to save a lot more time in WordPress design.”

    ​Reginald Chan

    ​The process of creating a new template on Oxygen is similar with the steps above. The next time you are creating a blog post or page, select the template that you had created with Oxygen and click on Edit with Elementor or Edit with Thrive Architect.

    ​By doing this, all the saved templates will be imported directly into your content and you don’t have to worry anything about the header, top and bottom menu, etc.

    ​Summary: Using Oxygen With Other WordPress Builders

    ​This WordPress tutorial is only best when you are using Oxygen ​on a large WordPress site (such as over 500+ posts and pages). This allows you to inherit all he previous designs and not breaking anything on your site.

    ​The best part, you will be able to use Oxygen Builder on all your latest blog posts and at the same time, using Oxygen with other WordPress builders.

  • How To Speed Up WordPress Websites

    How To Speed Up WordPress Websites

    How To Speed Up WordPress Websites

    ​How To Speed Up WordPress Websites

    Over the last few days, I’d one of the toughest time in getting one of the websites up and running. I was working on a Exabytes Plesk VPS (which is freaking cool by the way). I even used Oxygen Builder (read my review here) which is by the far, the best bloat-free and fast loading website builder.

    When I first loaded up the site, I was expecting it to load like blazing fast (VPS with 3 cores and 3GB RAM) but I was purely mistaken. I had overlooked that I was using an unmanaged VPS. At this point, I knew two things: I was spoilt by Kinsta and I need to seriously make my WordPress website faster.

    In this article, I’m going to show you exactly how to speed up WordPress websites without coding skills—and how you can make your website load faster and making Google happy.

    How To Make WordPress Websites Load Faster

    1. Use A Reliable WordPress Hosting For Faster Websites

    The most important step is to use a reliable WordPress hosting. Taking this important step is by far the most effective way to speed up your WordPress site.

    But, using a reliable WordPress hosting can really be costly. This site is powered by Kinsta hosting and I’m using Business 2 plan which costs $100 per month. There are also lower tiers WordPress hosting that you can also consider. Click here to check out the full list of Kinsta hosting pricing.

    ​What if I’m on a tight budget but desperately in need of a reliable WordPress hosting?

    The best option is to go for a shared WordPress hosting. Now, here’s what you need to know about shared WordPress hosting:

    • There are many cheap WordPress hosting that costs under $5 a month
    • There are many bad WordPress hosting companies
    • There are only a few good WordPress hosting solutions

    Using a cheap and bad WordPress hosting company is going to give you more headache than a peace of mind. You are bound to experience many downtimes, slow responsive website and almost no customer support.

    But if you seriously in need of a cheap WordPress hosting solution, I recommend you to take a look at BlueHost. It is reliable, having multiple datacenters around the world and live chat support, you can easily save a few dollars each month until your website takes off with traffic.

    2. Use A Cache Plugin To Optimize WordPress Loading Speed

    Installing a cache plugin for WordPress is almost as important as choosing the right web hosting company. A cache plugin helps you to configure and optimize your WordPress site without needing you to go into the coding part.

    Best Cache Plugin To Speed Up WordPress Websites

    Most cache plugin are created to ensure that website owners (that’s you) can easily configure the plugin without any hassle.

    Here are some of the best cache plugins you should be using today:

    If you are using a managed WordPress hosting solution, you can safely ignore this part because optimizations are often completed on server level.

    3. Uninstall Unwanted Plugins To Reduce WordPress Bloat

    Plugins are great but only if we use them correctly. Speeding up a WordPress site is all about reducing the database size. 

    Now, take a moment to look for unwanted plugins you had installed on your site.

    ​Uninstalling unwanted plugins or plugins that had not been used is a great way to ensure that your website loads fast(er). Typically, here are some guidelines to help you decide if the plugin is worth removing from your wp-admin:

    • ​The plugin was not used for over a month
    • ​It is just an old plugin that no longer serve the purpose
    • ​You left the plugin inactive in the plugin dashboard

    ​4. Use Content Delivery Network (CDN) For Faster Loading Websites

    ​CDN helps you to serve static files to your audience through the nearest datacenters to them. This helps you to speed up website loading speed and ultimately, giving a better experience to your website audience.

    If you are just starting with blogging, Cloudflare is an excellent, free-to-use CDN service. Once you had signed up, change your nameservers to the ones given by Cloudflare and within 24 hours, your website will be running with its servers.

    Do another check on the website loading speed and you will notice a nice bump in the loading speed.

    5. Optimize Images And Speed Up WordPress Websites

    ​A smaller size page loads multiple times faster than a large page. In this case, images play huge roles in the website loading speed. ​The more optimized the image is, the faster your website will load.

    How To Optimize Images On WordPress

    ​How do you optimize WordPress images correctly?

    1. 1​Optimize images before uploading to WordPress (tools such as TinyPNG helps dramatically).
    2. 2​Use proper image optimization plugin such as Imagify or Shortpixel
    3. 3​Scale the image based on the right display size (instead of the largest size available)

    ​Summary: Simple Tricks To Speed Up WordPress Websites

    The process of speeding up a WordPress site takes some effort and the right strategies. However, it is important to note that a fast loading website doesn’t only give more weight to better rankings, it helps you to make your website audience happier.