How to Evaluate Performance Report for WordPress

SEO

A slow website can lower page views, customer satisfaction, and even conversion rate. How fast does your WordPress site load?

Evaluate site performance with PageSpeed Insights

You can use Google Developer’s PageSpeed Insights to analyze the load time of your website.

  1. Go to Google Developer’s PageSpeed Insights tool.
  2. Enter your domain where it says “Enter a web page URL“
  3. Click Analyze.
  4. View the results.

In the results, you can see suggestions for improving both the desktop and mobile versions of your site. Pay special attention to any suggestions to optimize images, leverage browser caching, minify JavaScript or CSS, and render-blocking JavaScript and CSS.

Evaluate site performance with GTmetrix

You can use GTmetrix to analyze the load time of your website, and use the results to determine how to speed it up.

  1. Go to the GTmetrix site.
  2. Enter your domain where it says “Enter URL to Analyze“
  3. Click Analyze.
  4. Review the Performance Scores section to view overall scores for your site’s performace.
  5. Review the Page Details section some specifics about load time, page size, and number of requests.
  6. Review the PageSpeed tab and make note of any recommendations to leverage browser caching, defer parsing of JavaScript, minify JavaScript or CSS, and optimize images.
  7. Review the YSlow tab and look for suggestions to add expires headers, or make fewer HTTP requests on your site.

Evaluate site performance with Pingdom

You can use Pingdom Tools to review the performance of your website.

  1. Go to Pingdom’s website speed test.
  2. Enter your domain where is says “www.example.com“
  3. Click Start Test.
  4. The results provide a grade for your site as well as details such as load time, page size, number of requests, and more.
  5. Scroll down to the Performance insights section to see a checklist of items the test checks for and your site’s score for each.
  6. Continue to scroll down to the results page for additional details about your site’s performance.

Check PHP 7 compatibility of WordPress plugins and themes

If you would like to test your WordPress website for PHP 7 compatibility just follow these steps.

There are many plugins that can be used for this, we will cover installing the PHP Compatibility Checker plugin. If you decide to use a different plugin, be sure you choose one that is actively being maintained.

  1. Log in to WordPress
  2. Install the “PHP Compatibility Checker” plugin in WordPress.
  3. Activate the plugin.
  4. From the menu on the left expand Tools.
  5. Select PHP Compatibility.
  6. In the Scan Options section select the PHP version you want to check compatibility for:
    • PHP Version
      • PHP 7.0
      • PHP 7.1
      • PHP 7.2
  7. Select one of the following:
    • Only scan active plugins and themes.
    • Scan all plugins and themes.
  8. Click the Scan Site button and allow time for the operation to run. Note: The length of time required is based on the number of plugins and themes that are being scanned.
  9. Once the scan is complete you can review the Scan Results.
  10. Click on the Download Report button

There are some limitations and caveats for this plugin that may impact certain WordPress sites. The developer’s site has additional details, as well as an FAQ for the plugin.

Thanks for visiting. For queries and suggestions, emails are welcome at learnweb@hostingcolumn.com.

Subscribe to Hosting Column for latest updates and posts.