WordPress and Elementor combine to give you the flexibility to design amazing-looking websites, but the trade-off is a slow website. Page builders like Elementor generate additional code, which can slow down your site. However, have no fear – you can tune your Elementor-based website for better performance without compromising your layout or site functionality. We here at CitrusStudio specialize in building fast, responsive websites that work as well as they look. Here’s how to do it right.
Start with a Fast Theme
Pick a super-fast, performance-focused theme that works well with Elementor. Themes such as Hello Elementor, GeneratePress, and Astra are built for speed and compatibility, meaning you can keep the bloat to a minimum.
Minimize Plugins
Too many plug-ins can slow down your site. Audit your plugins and remove anything you don’t need. Choose multi-purpose plugins (say RankMath for SEO + schema) and do not overlap functions like that.
Use Optimized Images
Large image files generally cause slow loading. Utilize utilities such as ShortPixel, Smush, or Imagify to optimize src images and not the data. Additionally, serve images in modern formats, such as WebP, to increase performance.
Enable Caching
Use a caching plugin, such as WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache, or W3 Total Cache, to save your site as static files. Caching the site makes your loading times faster, and there are fewer things to load.
Optimize Elementor Settings
This doesn’t include speed settings that Elementor itself provides:
- You can visit Elementor > Settings > Experiments and enable settings such as Improved Asset Loading and Optimized DOM Output.
- Keep global fonts and colors to a minimum to prevent unnecessary compiled CSS.
Minify CSS, JS, and HTML
Use to minify/combine CSS/JS files using performance plugins like Autoptimize or Asset CleanUp. These plugins, with fewer server requests and optimized file sizes, will help create faster-loading sites.
Leverage a CDN (Content Delivery Network)
A CDN, such as Cloudflare or BunnyCDN, caches your site’s content on servers all over the world. This will decrease latency to generate content served nearest to your visitors.
Lazy Load Media
Lazy loading postpones the loading of images and videos until they are visible in the user’s viewport. This can significantly speed up the first load time. Elementor and many caching plugins now have built-in settings for lazy loading.
Significantly Reduce Widgets and Pop-ups
They may also inject unnecessary scripts, such as excessive Elementor widgets or animated pop-ups. Keep your design simple and targeted—use only the widgets you need for core functionality.
Regularly Test Site Speed
Use tools like:
- Google PageSpeed Insights
- GTmetrix
- Pingdom
These tools provide you with load time, Core Web Vitals and optimization reports specific to your site.
To Sum Up
Speeding up a WordPress + Elementor site doesn’t have to mean loving great design. It’s possible to create a website that’s both gorgeous and high-performance, loading fast and ranking well on search engines, all with the proper tools and best practices. If you don’t know where to begin or need that added professional touch, CitrusStudio is here to help. Let’s make your website fast, sleek, and unstoppable.
