The three numbers Google checks
Core Web Vitals are Google’s measures of how a page feels to real visitors. These are the thresholds Google treats as good.
LCP
Largest Contentful Paint
Good: 2.5 seconds or less
How long the main content, usually the hero image or headline, takes to appear.
INP
Interaction to Next Paint
Good: 200 milliseconds or less
How quickly the page responds when someone taps a button, opens a menu or types.
CLS
Cumulative Layout Shift
Good: 0.1 or less
How much the layout jumps around while the page is loading.
Google assesses these at the 75th percentile of real visits to your pages.
What is included
Every speed optimization project covers the following.
Speed audit
A Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights baseline for your key pages, with the main problems explained in plain English.
Image optimization
Images resized, compressed and converted to WebP, lazy loaded below the fold, with the main image loading first.
Caching setup
Page and browser caching configured with the tools your host already provides, such as LiteSpeed Cache.
Plugin and script review
Unused or heavy plugins and third-party scripts identified, with a recommendation before anything is removed.
Fonts, CSS and layout shifts
Fonts hosted locally, render-blocking files reduced and space reserved for images so pages stop jumping.
Database cleanup
Old revisions, spam and expired data cleared out, with a full backup taken first.
Where WordPress sites usually lose time
On most slow sites the cause is one or more of these. The audit shows which ones apply to yours.
How a speed project runs
Four steps, with your site backed up before any change is made.
01
Measure
I test your key pages on mobile and desktop and record the starting scores.
You receive
A baseline report
02
Prioritise
I list the fixes in order of impact and we agree what to change.
You receive
A fix list to approve
03
Fix
With a full backup in place, I make the changes and check that nothing breaks.
You receive
A faster site, same design
04
Re-measure
I run the same tests again and walk you through what changed.
You receive
A before-and-after report
No guaranteed scores. Hosting, the theme and third-party tools such as chat widgets or ad scripts all limit how fast a site can get. The audit tells you honestly what is realistic for your site before you commit to anything.
Questions about speed optimization
Looking for something else? See website development, website maintenance, all WordPress services or ask me directly.
What is the free speed check?
I run your homepage through Lighthouse and PageSpeed Insights and send you a short summary of the main issues and what fixing them would involve. There is no obligation.
Can you speed up a site someone else built?
Yes. I work on any WordPress site, whichever theme or builder it uses. Sites built with heavy page builders have more limits, and I will tell you that up front.
Will my design or content change?
No. The goal is the same site, loading faster. If a fix would change how something looks, I will ask you first.
Do I need to change my hosting?
Not usually. I start with what you have. If the hosting itself is the bottleneck, I will explain why and what to look for, and the decision is yours.
Is this a one-off job?
Yes, it is a one-off project. The handover includes simple tips to keep the site fast, and if you would rather have it looked after every month, see website maintenance.
Want to know how fast your site really is?
Send me your website address. I’ll run a free speed check and reply within 24 hours with what I found.