How to improve the speed of a website on shared hosting?

Introduction

Website speed is a crucial factor in determining the overall user experience and search engine optimization (SEO) performance. For sites hosted on shared hosting plans, optimizing speed can be challenging but certainly not impossible. This article outlines actionable strategies to improve the speed of a website on shared hosting without compromising on performance.

Why Website Speed Matters

Slow websites can result in high bounce rates, reduced user engagement, and lower search engine rankings. A speedy site not only keeps visitors engaged but also significantly improves your SEO.

Key Impacts of Website Speed

Metric Impact
Bounce Rate High speed reduces bounce rates
SEO Rankings Faster pages rank higher on search engines
User Engagement Improved page speed enhances user satisfaction
Conversion Rates Speedy websites lead to higher conversions

Techniques to Improve Website Speed

1. Optimize Images

Images are often the heaviest elements on a webpage and can slow down load times. Use image compression tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim to reduce file sizes without compromising quality.

  • Use the correct format: JPEGs for photographs, PNGs for images with transparency, and SVGs for icons.
  • Lazy load images: Load images only when they come into the viewport.

2. Minimize HTTP Requests

Each element on a web page—images, stylesheets, scripts—requires an HTTP request. Reducing these can significantly improve load times.

  • Combine CSS and JavaScript files: Merge files to reduce the number of requests.
  • Use CSS sprites: Combine multiple images into a single file, reducing HTTP requests.

3. Enable Browser Caching

Browser caching stores some data of your website in visitors’ browsers, so it doesn’t have to be reloaded every time they visit. This is particularly beneficial for returning visitors.

Add the following code to your .htaccess file:

## EXPIRES CACHING ##
ExpiresActive On
ExpiresByType image/jpg "access plus 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/jpeg "access plus 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/gif "access plus 1 year"
ExpiresByType image/png "access plus 1 year"
ExpiresByType text/css "access plus 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/pdf "access plus 1 month"
ExpiresByType text/x-javascript "access plus 1 month"
ExpiresByType application/x-shockwave-flash "access plus 1 month"
ExpiresByType image/x-icon "access plus 1 year"
ExpiresDefault "access plus 2 days"
## EXPIRES CACHING ##

4. Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN)

CDNs distribute your website’s content across multiple servers worldwide, delivering content to users from the server closest to their location. This minimizes latency and speeds up load times.

5. Enable Gzip Compression

Gzip compression reduces the size of files sent from the server to the browser, thus speeding up the transfer. Most modern browsers support Gzip.

Add the following code to your .htaccess file to enable Gzip compression:

AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/css
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/plain
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE image/x-icon
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-javascript
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/rss+xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/atom_xml
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/pdf
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/msword
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/vnd.ms-powerpoint
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-httpd-php
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE application/x-httpd-fastphp

6. Optimize Database

For websites using databases, optimizing them can result in a significant speed boost. Remove unnecessary data and defragment tables regularly.

Steps to Optimize Database:

  • Remove unnecessary plugins: Deactivate and delete plugins you don’t need.
  • Optimize database tables: Use WordPress plugins like WP-Optimize or manually run queries to clean up tables.
  • Remove outdated post revisions: Limit the number of stored revisions to reduce database size.

7. Use Lightweight Themes and Plugins

Heavy themes and plugins can bog down your site. Opt for lightweight alternatives that offer necessary functionalities without excessive bloat.

8. Reduce Redirects

Excessive redirects can slow down your website. Ensure your site architecture is clean to minimize redirects.

  • Avoid unnecessary 301 redirects: Only use them when absolutely necessary.
  • Ensure internal links are updated: Make sure they point directly to the final destination.

9. Monitor Performance Regularly

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and Pingdom to track and analyze your site’s performance regularly.

  • Identify bottlenecks: Determine what is slowing down your site and take steps to resolve issues.
  • Implement suggested fixes: Follow the recommendations given by performance tools to quickly improve speed.

Conclusion

Improving website speed on shared hosting may seem challenging but is entirely achievable with the right techniques. Focus on optimizing images, minimizing HTTP requests, enabling caching, using CDNs, compressing files, optimizing your database, and choosing lightweight themes. Regularly monitor your website's performance to ensure it remains swift and responsive.