WORDPRESS MAINTENANCE
Keep your website running smoothly whilst you focus on growing your business.
£99 per month • Everything included • UK-based support
£99 per month
Rolling monthly contract
UK based team
Complete peace of mind
WordPress Speed Optimisation
A slow WordPress site frustrates visitors and costs you customers.
Our speed optimisation service is included in your £99 per month maintenance package. We use WP Rocket, Imagify and Cloudflare to improve loading times, enhance user experience and help your site rank better in Google.
Your site stays fast with ongoing performance monitoring.
We’ve optimised WordPress performance for over 10 years. We understand what makes sites slow and how to fix it properly.
More importantly, we monitor performance continuously so your site doesn’t slow down again over time.
Why Site Speed Matters
Visitors expect websites to load quickly.
Research shows that 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take longer than three seconds to load. Every second of delay can reduce conversions by up to 7%.
A slow site also affects your SEO.
Google uses site speed as a ranking factor.
Faster sites can rank higher in search results. Slow sites get pushed down where potential customers won’t find them. Your competitors with faster sites get the traffic instead.
Mobile users are particularly sensitive to slow loading. Poor performance on mobile devices means you’re losing customers who search on their phones.
Given that most searches now happen on mobile, speed matters more than ever.
What’s Included in Speed Optimisation
There are a few ways to make a website faster.
To start with you need to have a fast WordPress theme and good page design.
Below are some ways we can harness WordPress technology to make further tweaks.
Image Optimisation Setup
We use image compression software to automatically compress new images as you upload them. Existing images are compressed in bulk. This typically reduces image file sizes by 40-60% without visible quality loss.
Smaller images mean faster loading.
Caching Configuration
WP Rocket is a caching plugin that creates static versions of your pages so they load instantly for repeat visitors. We configure caching rules optimally for your specific site.
Proper caching can reduce loading times by 50% or more.
Database Cleanup
WordPress databases accumulate unnecessary data over time. Post revisions, spam comments, and transient options bloat the database and slow queries.
We clean this out and establish regular maintenance routines.
CDN Setup
A Content Delivery Network (CDN) serves your site files from servers close to your visitors. Someone in London gets files from a London server rather than waiting for data from a distant location.
This significantly reduces loading times worldwide.
Lazy Loading
With lazy loading, images and videos only load when visitors scroll down to see them. This means the initial page load is much faster because the browser isn’t downloading everything at once.
Particularly helpful for image-heavy pages.
Minification
CSS and JavaScript files contain spaces, comments and formatting that make code readable but increase file size. We minify these files to remove unnecessary characters.
The code works the same but downloads faster.
Ongoing Monitoring
Unlike one-off speed fixes, we monitor your site’s performance continuously. If something starts slowing your site down, we catch it early and address it.
Your site stays fast over time.
What’s NOT Included
We don’t change or upgrade your hosting. If your hosting is inadequate, we’ll advise you but we’re not hosting providers.
We don’t redesign sites or write custom code. We don’t manually resize individual images before upload (but we can show you how to do it).
How Speed Optimisation Works
Speed optimisation happens as part of your maintenance service, there’s no additional fee.
We start with a speed audit using industry-standard tools to establish your current performance. This shows us where the problems are and what improvements will have the biggest impact.
Then we implement the optimisations: configuring a caching plugin, setting up automatic image optimisation, integrating a CDN, cleaning the database, implementing lazy loading and minifying code.
We test thoroughly to ensure everything works correctly.
After implementation, we verify the improvements with another speed test. You’ll see the before and after results.
Most sites show significant improvement in loading times and performance scores.
The important part comes next: ongoing monitoring.
We track your site’s performance regularly. If speed starts degrading, we investigate and fix it. This prevents the gradual slowdown that happens when sites aren’t properly maintained.
Who Needs It?
Pretty much every website will benefit from these optimisations.
Sites that use lots of images, or video, will usually benefit the most, but all sites should see an improvement.
Your pages will load faster, your visitors won’t need to wait while pictures download and your SEO gets improved as well.
Common Speed Problems We Fix
Slow WordPress sites rarely have just one problem. Usually it’s a combination of several issues that have built up over time.
Here are the most common speed problems we encounter and how we fix them.
Large Image Size
Modern phone cameras capture photos at resolutions far higher than needed for websites. A photo from your iPhone might be 4000 x 3000 pixels when your website only displays it at 800 x 600 pixels.
This wastes bandwidth and slows loading considerably. Images should be reduced in size to fit their intended space as much as possible.
Uncompressed Images
Even properly sized images can have unnecessarily large file sizes without compression. Without compression, every visitor has to download these massive files.
We can implement an image optimisation plugin that typically reduce file sizes by 50-70% without visible quality loss. This single change often makes the biggest difference to your site’s loading speed.
Too Many Plugins
Each WordPress plugin adds its own CSS, JavaScript and database queries that must load on every page. Some plugins are poorly coded and add far more weight than necessary.
While we can’t remove plugins you genuinely need for your site’s functionality, we can optimise how they load and when they load. We’ll also identify if specific plugins are causing disproportionate slowdowns. Sometimes swapping one poorly-coded plugin for a better alternative makes a substantial difference.
Lack of Proper Caching
Without ‘caching’, WordPress builds every single page from scratch each time someone visits your site. The database gets queried, PHP code runs, and the page assembles piece by piece before displaying.
This process takes time and uses server resources unnecessarily. Proper caching creates static copies of your pages that serve instantly to visitors. The page only updates when content actually changes, eliminating all that repeated work.
Database Bloat
WordPress databases accumulate rubbish over time. Every draft you save creates a revision, every spam comment gets stored, and plugins leave behind orphaned data even after deletion.
After months or years, you might have thousands of unnecessary database entries that slow every query. We clean out this accumulated bloat: removing old revisions, clearing spam, deleting transient data, and optimising database tables.
Unoptimised CSS and JavaScript Files
CSS and JavaScript files contain spaces, line breaks, comments and formatting that make code readable for developers. These elements serve no purpose for browsers but add to the file size.
Minification removes all these unnecessary characters, often reducing file sizes by 30-40%. The code functions the same but downloads and processes faster. We also combine multiple files where appropriate to reduce the number of server requests needed.
Poor Quality Hosting
Hosting quality fundamentally affects site speed, but this isn’t something we can fix directly through optimisation. Cheap shared hosting often means your site shares server resources with hundreds of other websites, and slow processors can’t handle requests quickly.
If inadequate hosting is your main problem, we’ll tell you honestly and recommend better alternatives. We can make some improvements to compensate for hosting limitations, but there are absolute limits to what optimisation can achieve on servers that simply lack adequate resources.
Why Choose Respect Experts
We’ve been speeding up websites for 10+ years. Real hands on experience of keeping websites online and working properly.
We’re based in the UK and explain everything in plain English
No technical jargon unless you ask for it
We treat you like a business owner, not a technical expert
Good maintenance prevents problems before they occur
We catch issues early and fix them before they affect your site
We’re transparent about what we do and don’t include
What You Get from Professional Maintenance
Your website stays secure and up to date
Security vulnerabilities are patched before hackers can exploit them
Your site runs smoothly with fewer technical problems
You save time. Instead of worrying about updates and backups, you focus on your business. Technical website management is handled by someone who knows what they’re doing.
Speed optimisation is included in your maintenance service.
We’ll assess your site’s current speed, identify the main issues, implement optimisations using our proven tools, and verify the improvements.
Not sure how something works? We’ll explain it.
Get Protected with WordPress Maintenance
WordPress speed optimisation is included in our £99 per month maintenance service. This flat fee covers monthly updates, daily monitoring, routine backups and error fixes when they occur.
Sign up for WordPress maintenance today and get speed improvements included. Your site will be properly maintained, regularly backed up, constantly monitored and quickly repaired if problems occur.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Speed optimisation works on all hosting providers, though results vary based on hosting quality. Good hosting gives us a solid foundation to build on. Poor hosting limits what optimisation can achieve.
We can make meaningful improvements regardless of your host. Caching, image compression, CDN integration and database cleanup all work anywhere. However, if your hosting is seriously inadequate, we’ll need to discuss limitations.
The best scenario is decent hosting combined with proper optimisation. If your hosting is the main problem, we’ll tell you honestly. We’re not hosting providers but we can recommend suitable alternatives for your needs.
Most sites see loading time improvements of 40-60%. Specific results depend on your starting point and current problems. Sites with large uncompressed images typically see the most dramatic improvements.
We measure performance using industry-standard tools before and after optimisation. You’ll see concrete numbers showing the improvement. PageSpeed scores usually increase significantly, though perfect scores aren’t always possible or necessary.
The more important metric is real-world loading time for your visitors. A site that loaded in 6 seconds might load in 2 seconds after optimisation. This tangible difference affects bounce rates, conversions and Google rankings.
Speed optimisation rarely causes problems when done properly. We test thoroughly during implementation to ensure everything works correctly. Caching and image compression don’t change how your site functions, they just make it faster.
Occasionally specific plugins conflict with caching rules. If this happens, we adjust the configuration to work around the conflict. Our experience means we know common compatibility issues and how to resolve them.
We take backups before making major changes. If something unexpected occurs, we can restore quickly. However, serious problems are exceptionally rare.
Yes, WooCommerce sites benefit significantly from speed optimisation. E-commerce sites particularly need fast loading because slow checkout processes directly reduce sales. Customers abandon slow sites before completing purchases.
WooCommerce sites require slightly different caching configuration because of cart functionality and checkout pages. We configure caching to handle dynamic elements correctly while still speeding up product pages and general browsing.
Image optimisation matters even more for WooCommerce. Product photos are essential but often unnecessarily large. Proper compression makes galleries load much faster without affecting image quality that customers need to see.
You should always be able to see some improvement.
But if your site remains slow despite our optimisations, the most likely culprits are hosting limitations, theme design or specific plugin conflicts. We’ll investigate to identify the remaining bottlenecks.
Sometimes fundamental hosting inadequacy prevents adequate speed regardless of optimisation. If this is the case, we’ll explain clearly and recommend better hosting options. No point pretending optimisation can fix hosting that simply can’t perform.
Other times, specific plugins or custom code cause problems that require different solutions. We’ll help to identify these issues and explain your options. Some problems need developer intervention beyond basic speed optimisation.
No promises here.
Speed is one of Google’s ranking factors, so faster sites have an advantage. However, speed alone won’t dramatically change rankings if other SEO factors are weak. It’s one important element among many.
The more direct benefit is improved user experience. Visitors stay longer on fast sites, browse more pages, and complete more conversions. These engagement signals also influence rankings indirectly.
Core Web Vitals scores improve with speed optimisation. Google specifically monitors these metrics and uses them for ranking. Better Core Web Vitals contribute to better overall rankings, though they’re not the only factor.
Perfect PageSpeed scores are rarely achievable on real websites with normal functionality. Scoring 100 requires eliminating many features that make sites useful. It’s not a realistic or necessary goal.
We aim for scores in the 80-95 range, which represents excellent performance. Google’s own sites don’t score 100. What matters is fast real-world loading times for your visitors, not perfect test scores.
PageSpeed Insights is a useful diagnostic tool but shouldn’t be the sole measure of success. Load time, Core Web Vitals, and actual user experience matter more than achieving perfect scores that may require removing useful site features.
Image compression reduces file size by 40-60% with minimal visible quality loss. The compression is “lossy” but optimised to preserve visual quality while removing unnecessary data.
Most people cannot see the difference between optimised and original images when viewing on standard screens. The compression removes data that human eyes don’t perceive. Product photos, portfolio images and blog graphics all compress well.
If you have specific images where quality is absolutely paramount, we can exclude those images or use lossless compression. However, in practice, the smart compression works excellently for virtually all web images, as long as they have the correct pixel dimensions in the first place.
If you cancel your maintenance service, the speed optimisations remain in place. Any plugins we installed will continue working. Your site stays fast initially because the configurations we implemented don’t disappear.
However, you lose ongoing monitoring and support. If performance degrades over time, you’re responsible for diagnosing and fixing issues yourself. Plugin updates might affect caching configurations. Database bloat will gradually accumulate without regular cleanup.
The optimisations aren’t locked or dependent on continued service. They’re standard WordPress plugins configured properly. You or another developer can maintain them if you choose to handle this yourself.
Cloudflare’s free tier works well for most small business websites. We configure your site to use the free plan, which includes CDN services and basic security. No extra cost beyond your maintenance fee.
Cloudflare does offer paid plans with additional features like advanced security and analytics. Most small businesses don’t need these extras. If your site grows significantly or you need specific advanced features, paid plans are available but not required.
We handle Cloudflare configuration and management as part of your maintenance service. You don’t need to interact with Cloudflare directly or manage settings yourself unless you want to.
Speed optimisation works with page builders like Elementor, Divi, or WPBakery, though these builders inherently add more code than standard WordPress. We can still make meaningful improvements.
Page builders often load substantial CSS and JavaScript. We optimise how these files load and are cached. Results may be less dramatic than with simpler sites or themes, but improvements are still significant and worthwhile.
If your page builder is the main speed problem, you might eventually need to consider lighter alternatives. However, we work with whatever builder you’re using and optimise it as well as possible without requiring you to rebuild your entire site.
Most WordPress sites can be optimised effectively without needing a complete rebuild. However, some older sites have fundamental problems that optimisation alone can’t fix. Sites built 5+ years ago with outdated themes or page builders sometimes have such poor foundations that starting fresh makes more sense.
We’ll be honest if we think your site needs rebuilding rather than optimising. However, we don’t build websites ourselves, so we’re not trying to sell you a rebuild. If optimisation can deliver meaningful improvements, we’ll do that. If your site genuinely needs rebuilding, we’ll tell you and can recommend suitable developers.
In most cases, proper speed optimisation delivers excellent results without the expense and disruption of a complete website rebuild.