The Ultimate Guide to Building a Fast WordPress Site from Scratch
If you want your new website to load lightning fast, this guide walks you through every developer-approved step — from selecting a host to optimizing every asset.
This is a supporting guide to [What Makes a Website Load Fast?].
Step 1: Choose High-Performance Hosting
Start with a host built for speed. Shared hosting may be cheap, but managed WordPress hosting offers better server-side caching, CDN integration, and uptime.
Recommended Hosts:
Step 2: Use a Lightweight Theme and Builder
Avoid heavy multipurpose themes. Instead, use optimized site builders:
- Oxygen Builder for developers
- Elementor for easy visual control
See [SILO PAGE: WP Rocket vs Free Caching Plugins] for post-launch optimization.
Step 3: Install Essential Speed Plugins
- WP Rocket: For caching, minification, and preloading
- Image Optimizer by Elementor
- Query Monitor: To detect slow plugins
Step 4: Optimize Images and Code
Always compress and lazy load your images. Use WebP for better compression. For details, see [Why Your Images Are Slowing Down Your Website].
Step 5: Secure and Monitor Performance
Use a CDN and regular testing via GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed Insights.
Pro Tip: A CDN can boost performance by 30–60%. Learn more at [How CDN and Caching Work Together].
FAQs
Q: Should I use a page builder or custom code for performance?
A: A fast builder like Oxygen or Elementor (with optimization) can perform nearly as well as custom builds.
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Start building your WordPress site with Hostinger and optimize using WP Rocket.