Posts
79
Questions
50
My mobile speed is really bad - (in the red for many posts). I've done what I can to try and improve things - reduced my Ads to extremely low density on mobile pages/posts, or
Hey Nat,
The following tutorial may provide you with the help you seek: Website speed optimization - Definitive guide Hope you find this helpful.
Even after removing multiple plugins and even after further reducing the image sizes & compressing them again, lately I am struggling with loading speed, too.
I've tried different things and for me it always came down to the WP theme. Changing to a more light-weight WP theme was the only thing improving my results significantly, so far. Unfortunately, I haven't found a theme yet that is fast AND provides all the layout features that I want. Sorry I can't give a more actionable response right now, but I still hope this helps you a bit.
I use a Genius theme - which I thought was meant to be good for that :/ But I don't know :/ ..... Sorry you've been having problems as well!
I have switched to the Omen theme just as a test, and my speed score jumped from 52 to 95 without changing anything else. With that said, I can't use the Omen theme so I'm now looking for another one that results in the same speed improvements. But try it out and see if it makes a difference for you as well!
I use the following plugins.
1. Accelerated mobile pages.
2. Compress JPeg & PNG Images
I don't use Kraken or EWWW image optimise.
And my site is very fast (98%).
Jim
Hey Jim, a score of 98 that's amazing!! What WP theme are you using on that particular site?
Actually - I don't think they are! I have EWWW optimise installed but don't think I set it up correctly. I should check out one of those plugins, thanks for the advice!
Thank you I’m going to try this - are there any complicated settings or is it pretty straight forward?
Hey Jim, maybe you've missed my earlier question :) What's the WP theme that you use on that site?
Kracken has not been updated in almost 5 months and Smush is much better. MarionBlack recommends Smush and in site speed tests, Smush much faster than Kracken. You Can Never Have Enough Plug-Ins Mark
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Help! mobile speed problems, very slow?
My mobile speed is really bad - (in the red for many posts). I've done what I can to try and improve things - reduced my Ads to extremely low density on mobile pages/posts, or
Hey Nat,
The following tutorial may provide you with the help you seek: Website speed optimization - Definitive guide Hope you find this helpful.
Even after removing multiple plugins and even after further reducing the image sizes & compressing them again, lately I am struggling with loading speed, too.
I've tried different things and for me it always came down to the WP theme. Changing to a more light-weight WP theme was the only thing improving my results significantly, so far. Unfortunately, I haven't found a theme yet that is fast AND provides all the layout features that I want. Sorry I can't give a more actionable response right now, but I still hope this helps you a bit.
I use a Genius theme - which I thought was meant to be good for that :/ But I don't know :/ ..... Sorry you've been having problems as well!
I have switched to the Omen theme just as a test, and my speed score jumped from 52 to 95 without changing anything else. With that said, I can't use the Omen theme so I'm now looking for another one that results in the same speed improvements. But try it out and see if it makes a difference for you as well!
I use the following plugins.
1. Accelerated mobile pages.
2. Compress JPeg & PNG Images
I don't use Kraken or EWWW image optimise.
And my site is very fast (98%).
Jim
Hey Jim, a score of 98 that's amazing!! What WP theme are you using on that particular site?
Actually - I don't think they are! I have EWWW optimise installed but don't think I set it up correctly. I should check out one of those plugins, thanks for the advice!
Thank you I’m going to try this - are there any complicated settings or is it pretty straight forward?
Hey Jim, maybe you've missed my earlier question :) What's the WP theme that you use on that site?
Kracken has not been updated in almost 5 months and Smush is much better. MarionBlack recommends Smush and in site speed tests, Smush much faster than Kracken. You Can Never Have Enough Plug-Ins Mark
See more comments
I downloaded the SSL Insecure Content Fixer plugin ages ago, when we all switched to https and followed some training here regarding that.
However, I sti
Hi there,
To make sure there are no instances of http://www.yourdomain.com remaining in your database you can run a database update to change all instances of http://www.yourdomain.com
to:
https://www.yourdomain.com.
It won't matter if there are no instances of http:// - if that's the case no changes will be made.
There are some plugins that help you to do this and there's a tutorial here:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/search-and-replace-plugin-for-wordpress-database/
Be sure to take at least a database backup, preferably an entire site backup, before you do anything!
Once the change has been completed you should remove the Better Search Replace plugin and you can then also remove the Insecure Fixer plugin.
*However, if you are not totally comfortable with working with your database I would suggest you keep the Insecure Fixer plugin running.*
Cheers,
Martin.
That's a good question, Nat.
I don't need SSL Insecure Content Fixer plugin on my new sites because everything that's uploaded to them is uploaded as httpS rather than http. But my old sites may still have some stuff that was uploaded as http (without the S) so I'm keeping the plugin going until I can be sure I no longer need it.
One way to be sure is to deactivate the plugin, delete the cache, and then check every single page and post to see if the padlock is still there.
Hi - thanks Marion, I may have to skip that though, as I have over 500 posts/pages :-o !!! ... Yes, lots of my posts were in http, I guess the first couple of hundred maybe, I'm not sure. So, I guess I will have to keep it there! Thanks for your help! I'm pretty sure it was your training I followed when I got the plugin and it was very helpful :) :)
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Do I still need ssl insecure content fixer plugin?
I downloaded the SSL Insecure Content Fixer plugin ages ago, when we all switched to https and followed some training here regarding that.
However, I sti
Hi there,
To make sure there are no instances of http://www.yourdomain.com remaining in your database you can run a database update to change all instances of http://www.yourdomain.com
to:
https://www.yourdomain.com.
It won't matter if there are no instances of http:// - if that's the case no changes will be made.
There are some plugins that help you to do this and there's a tutorial here:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/search-and-replace-plugin-for-wordpress-database/
Be sure to take at least a database backup, preferably an entire site backup, before you do anything!
Once the change has been completed you should remove the Better Search Replace plugin and you can then also remove the Insecure Fixer plugin.
*However, if you are not totally comfortable with working with your database I would suggest you keep the Insecure Fixer plugin running.*
Cheers,
Martin.
That's a good question, Nat.
I don't need SSL Insecure Content Fixer plugin on my new sites because everything that's uploaded to them is uploaded as httpS rather than http. But my old sites may still have some stuff that was uploaded as http (without the S) so I'm keeping the plugin going until I can be sure I no longer need it.
One way to be sure is to deactivate the plugin, delete the cache, and then check every single page and post to see if the padlock is still there.
Hi - thanks Marion, I may have to skip that though, as I have over 500 posts/pages :-o !!! ... Yes, lots of my posts were in http, I guess the first couple of hundred maybe, I'm not sure. So, I guess I will have to keep it there! Thanks for your help! I'm pretty sure it was your training I followed when I got the plugin and it was very helpful :) :)
See more comments
Hi there,
I'm in the process of removing a tonne of junk urls that have been indexed in google, (that shouldn't have been).
But I also noticed that some of my posts
It usually has to do with No Index status, either through a robots.txt file or setting the option in All-In-One SEO. Sometimes, though, if Google finds the page to be of little value, it's possible they won't index it. Check the page load times of the pages that are not indexed. There is a tool here in WA on your Websites section where you can do this. If the page speed is not up to par, Google could block from indexing.
If you are deleting pages/posts, do expect to possibly take a hit in rankings initially. It shouldn't last too long, especially since you are increasing the value of the site in the long run.
Check for messages in search console, too. Sometimes, Google can give you information, albeit cryptic, but at least you'll know something is wrong.
For pages you want to keep that aren't indexed, try using the URL inspection tool.
Hi - thanks for that.
But the thing is, they are indexed.
They're indexed in Google, but it says they are not included in the sitemap.
I'm not deleting actual pages/posts right now, (although I am thinking about that). I have a tonne of image files that have been indexed as urls in Google and I'm trying to take those out.
Nat
Which plugin are you using for your sitemap generation? Sometimes, the forums or support on their plugins can give insight into an issue if others experience it.
This issue is one that is preferable to the other way around where it's in the sitemap but not getting indexed. But, it still pays to learn why it's happening from the plugin developer.
Another thing you could try is to turn off the sitemaps and immediately turn it back on again. Perhaps that will insert the missing pages. If you have any caching plugins, be sure to clear the cache first (or disable those caching plugins then activate them).
The plugin I'm using is just Google XML sitempaps plugin? As I've been going through, I've seen quite a bunch of these URLs and some are actually some of my top posts, so it's weird they're not in the sitemap.... I will try and turn off and on! I don't have any caching plugins... should I have? Thanks!!!
Are you using All-In-One SEO(AIOSEO) for your SEO? If so, as an experiment, you could add your GA info into AIOSEO and disable Google XML Sitemap temporarily. I have had conflicts between the two plugins in the past. I am not saying this is the case here, but may be something worth exploring. I only use AIOSEO for tracking because of the conflicts between the two.
As for caching plugins, they usually cause more trouble than their worth, so no it's not necessary to use them unless you know of ones that can help improve performance. Some people here like to use them, so I am just accounting for the possibility.
Oh really I didn't know that!
Yes, I have the AIOSEO plugin and I already added my google analytics to that in the beginning.... Does that mean I don't need the sitemap plugin?
Or should just do this experiment, but then remove GA from the All in one seo plugin and keep the sitemap plugin?
Sorry for all the questions!!
I did try a caching plugin before, but I wasn't sure how to set it up and took it off in the end. Aside from, I do have the pluin : FV Gravatar Cache? Because it was suggested it could help site speed .... although, I'm not really sure if it helped or not!
I got rid of the sitemap plugin and have had no issues with AIOSEO. I don't know if it will solve the problem, but as I have stated, the two have given me problems of conflicts in the past. I honestly don't see the advantage of using the sitemap pluging when AIOSEO handles the same functionality. It's one less plugin which is always good when you can eliminate it. Of course, you can always reinstall if you feel you want that plugin.
Thank you - Also, wonder if you could help with something else! I've decided to delete a load of content that is not getting much traffic and has low engagement. How can I do that correctly? So far, I have been deindexing them and removing them from sitemap. I don't have internal links pointing to most of these posts. Should I delete them and do a 301 redirect? Thanks!
Hey Natalie, you're welcome.
I would take a measured approach when deleting content. The first step would be to see if you can somehow repurpose the content. That way, you keep it indexed and add more value to it. If that isn't possible, I would over time start deleting the content slowly rather than bulk delete it. Google will figure everything out eventually no matter what. But, doing it slowly is less likely to "shock the system" as it were.
Another option is to use a robots.txt file which you can add the pages that you don't want to appear in the index. This alerts Google to your intentions that these pages are not important. Then, after a while, it will likely won't be as noticed when you decide to delete the pages.
I believe there are plugins that can help here. But, if I remember correctly, the format is pretty simple and examples can be found online. Our support team can lend a hand too.
Hope this helps,
Jim
A 301 redirect is also a possibility. I would prefer that to outright deletion. But, my number one preference would be to repurpose if possible.
Thank you!! I will take the advice to do it slowly. I've changed the direction of my site somewhat since I started, so I'm wanting to delete posts that aren't relevant to the direction I'm going. I'm still keeping ones that get traffic - but there ones that have only had a couple of hits this whole year, so I don't think they'll be missed. Thanks for your help!! :)
That makes sense. I think the ranking weight for phantom pages is likely to be small. No one can say for sure what the Big G is thinking, but it's hard to imagine that someone who is struggling for rankings would say, "I think it's because I have phantom pages" rather than a host of way more important ranking factors.
Yes that definitely makes sense - difficult because, from what I gather, it could take several months to see any difference. But I'm tracking any changes I make and will see what happens! :)
I think some guru decided this was a good topic to write about to get some traffic to his/her website. The blogging community latched on and now everyone is preaching the virtues of getting rid of phantom pages. Yes, it's needed but, IMO not the priority.
See more comments
Google search console experts: sitemap question?
Hi there,
I'm in the process of removing a tonne of junk urls that have been indexed in google, (that shouldn't have been).
But I also noticed that some of my posts
It usually has to do with No Index status, either through a robots.txt file or setting the option in All-In-One SEO. Sometimes, though, if Google finds the page to be of little value, it's possible they won't index it. Check the page load times of the pages that are not indexed. There is a tool here in WA on your Websites section where you can do this. If the page speed is not up to par, Google could block from indexing.
If you are deleting pages/posts, do expect to possibly take a hit in rankings initially. It shouldn't last too long, especially since you are increasing the value of the site in the long run.
Check for messages in search console, too. Sometimes, Google can give you information, albeit cryptic, but at least you'll know something is wrong.
For pages you want to keep that aren't indexed, try using the URL inspection tool.
Hi - thanks for that.
But the thing is, they are indexed.
They're indexed in Google, but it says they are not included in the sitemap.
I'm not deleting actual pages/posts right now, (although I am thinking about that). I have a tonne of image files that have been indexed as urls in Google and I'm trying to take those out.
Nat
Which plugin are you using for your sitemap generation? Sometimes, the forums or support on their plugins can give insight into an issue if others experience it.
This issue is one that is preferable to the other way around where it's in the sitemap but not getting indexed. But, it still pays to learn why it's happening from the plugin developer.
Another thing you could try is to turn off the sitemaps and immediately turn it back on again. Perhaps that will insert the missing pages. If you have any caching plugins, be sure to clear the cache first (or disable those caching plugins then activate them).
The plugin I'm using is just Google XML sitempaps plugin? As I've been going through, I've seen quite a bunch of these URLs and some are actually some of my top posts, so it's weird they're not in the sitemap.... I will try and turn off and on! I don't have any caching plugins... should I have? Thanks!!!
Are you using All-In-One SEO(AIOSEO) for your SEO? If so, as an experiment, you could add your GA info into AIOSEO and disable Google XML Sitemap temporarily. I have had conflicts between the two plugins in the past. I am not saying this is the case here, but may be something worth exploring. I only use AIOSEO for tracking because of the conflicts between the two.
As for caching plugins, they usually cause more trouble than their worth, so no it's not necessary to use them unless you know of ones that can help improve performance. Some people here like to use them, so I am just accounting for the possibility.
Oh really I didn't know that!
Yes, I have the AIOSEO plugin and I already added my google analytics to that in the beginning.... Does that mean I don't need the sitemap plugin?
Or should just do this experiment, but then remove GA from the All in one seo plugin and keep the sitemap plugin?
Sorry for all the questions!!
I did try a caching plugin before, but I wasn't sure how to set it up and took it off in the end. Aside from, I do have the pluin : FV Gravatar Cache? Because it was suggested it could help site speed .... although, I'm not really sure if it helped or not!
I got rid of the sitemap plugin and have had no issues with AIOSEO. I don't know if it will solve the problem, but as I have stated, the two have given me problems of conflicts in the past. I honestly don't see the advantage of using the sitemap pluging when AIOSEO handles the same functionality. It's one less plugin which is always good when you can eliminate it. Of course, you can always reinstall if you feel you want that plugin.
Thank you - Also, wonder if you could help with something else! I've decided to delete a load of content that is not getting much traffic and has low engagement. How can I do that correctly? So far, I have been deindexing them and removing them from sitemap. I don't have internal links pointing to most of these posts. Should I delete them and do a 301 redirect? Thanks!
Hey Natalie, you're welcome.
I would take a measured approach when deleting content. The first step would be to see if you can somehow repurpose the content. That way, you keep it indexed and add more value to it. If that isn't possible, I would over time start deleting the content slowly rather than bulk delete it. Google will figure everything out eventually no matter what. But, doing it slowly is less likely to "shock the system" as it were.
Another option is to use a robots.txt file which you can add the pages that you don't want to appear in the index. This alerts Google to your intentions that these pages are not important. Then, after a while, it will likely won't be as noticed when you decide to delete the pages.
I believe there are plugins that can help here. But, if I remember correctly, the format is pretty simple and examples can be found online. Our support team can lend a hand too.
Hope this helps,
Jim
A 301 redirect is also a possibility. I would prefer that to outright deletion. But, my number one preference would be to repurpose if possible.
Thank you!! I will take the advice to do it slowly. I've changed the direction of my site somewhat since I started, so I'm wanting to delete posts that aren't relevant to the direction I'm going. I'm still keeping ones that get traffic - but there ones that have only had a couple of hits this whole year, so I don't think they'll be missed. Thanks for your help!! :)
That makes sense. I think the ranking weight for phantom pages is likely to be small. No one can say for sure what the Big G is thinking, but it's hard to imagine that someone who is struggling for rankings would say, "I think it's because I have phantom pages" rather than a host of way more important ranking factors.
Yes that definitely makes sense - difficult because, from what I gather, it could take several months to see any difference. But I'm tracking any changes I make and will see what happens! :)
I think some guru decided this was a good topic to write about to get some traffic to his/her website. The blogging community latched on and now everyone is preaching the virtues of getting rid of phantom pages. Yes, it's needed but, IMO not the priority.
See more comments
Trish has a good answer
That is one huge understatement. She usually has the answer before I ask the question. Canadian Karma.