How to Optimize Page Speed

byshelley8492

825 followers

8 years ago

Update: To those that have already read this article and/or commented. I was using Page Speed, not Site Speed. I am trying to improve both, but I guess it is easier to start with the page speed and then work on site speed

This will be a quick and simple article on How to Optimize Page Speed. I know there are many others more knowledgeable about this topic than I am, but I wanted to let everyone know that it really does work. I posted an article on my website yesterday about the Pros and Cons of Dog Parks. I added two photos. When I checked on my page speed, it was Desktop 70 and Mobile 84. That desktop really needed to be improved and the mobile could still use improvement. My site is new and needs all the help it can get to be seen. I went into my own photo software, Adobe Photoshop and opened the image. Then I saved it using the save for web and devices menu. As recommended by Jvranjes (Jovo), I set my width to 400 pixels. I did not have a compression size to chose other than small, medium and large. I selected medium. I could see the size of my images decrease. I then added the photos back into the media library and added the first photo into my post and removed the original photo.

I opened page speed and checked. I increased Desktop from 70 to 82 and Mobile from 84 to 87. Not a big change in the mobile, but a pretty decent increase in the desktop. I am now in the green.

I then changed out the second photo. Again, I checked Page Speed, Desktop is now 95 and Mobile 89! Wow. I still need to prioritize visible content and leverage browser caching. Since I have no idea how to do that, even after looking at the "how to fix" section, I guess I'll need to find out if someone has written training on those topics. (Hint, hint.)

I also have a recommendation to optimize the png image that allows someone to print or email the article when clicked. Since it is part of a plug in I'm not sure how to change it. Another training article perhaps. Meanwhile, I have four more pages to optimize. I have a page with a desktop speed of 46! Have to get this changed.