At GMEngine, we have taken the next step optimizing for WP Optimize. You do benefit of our powerful infrastructure, combined with optimized platform. This is an optimal solution for high speed and high performance websites.
In this article, I’ll explain how you can increase further for high volume websites and/or how the response time. This configuration is doable by the WP Optimize plugin. We have implemented several services in combination with each other.
This is usual behavior for Managed Hosting Companies like ourselves. By focusing on how to decrease the load time for one framework – in our case WordPress.
We have as well implemented the memcached techologi. Memcached is a query technology that uses the servers RAM to cache all used MySQL files and requests. Read more about Memcached here.
Install WP Optimize
- Sign in to your WordPress console
- Click Plugins
- Search for WP Optimize
- Click Install
- Click Activate
Using the WP Optimize plugin
Now initialize the optimization process. Open it in the left menu by clicking WP Optimize -> Database. You have several default options configured by the plugin. These setting are we going to alter.
As all optimization procedures: start by taking a database backup. It is recommendable to take a backup of the database before optimizations. Read our guide about that, with the plugin Duplicator.
Once the backup is complete, press the button Run all selected optimizations. The plugin will now start removing all orphan records from your database. This decrease the size and resulting in a better server response time.
Now it is a matter of waiting until it for the plugin to complete.
Next, visit WP Optimize -> Images, and turn on compress newly-added images.
This ensures any image you add later is being compressed.
Under the compression options, you will find three (3) choices. You can selected the compression choice most optimal for your usage. We suggest using the most popular method “Prioritize retention of detail”. This saves space without lack of image quality.
When you scroll down on the page, you will see a list of all uncompressed images. It is strongly suggested to perform the compression on these images.
Click above the images, on Select All followed by Compress the selected images under the images.
Image compression by WP Optimize
The WP Optimize plugin will now optimize your images, using the external service Nitrosmush or ReSmush.it.
Page Speed tests often recommend that you “Defer offscreen images”, in common words – using the lazy-load technique.
Lazy-Load is a technique that only loads the non-critical resources during the page load. While the rest is loaded at displaypoint. This means images is first loaded when they are needed, because the user scrolls at your website.
The technique is fairly simple, but will radically increase the speed of you website.
Page cache
Getting the Page Cache setup is the the second last thing you need to focus on – you have almost reached goal.
Next step is to get teh cache feature within the WP Optimize Plugin. To start, go to WP Optimize -> Cache. At the Page Cache tab, turn on Enable page caching and select the option for Generate seperate files for mombile devices, if your website has a mobile specific theme.
Don’t forget to save the changes you’ve made.
Now you’ve enabled the page cache, click the tab Gzip compression and click Enable.
Gzip compression is compressing the requested image before sending it to the browser, this results in smaller file sizes and as a result – faster loading.
Finally - Static file headers
You have reached the end, you are now only one click from finailzing the setup of WP Optimize.
Click the tab Static file headers and click Enable.
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