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Optimizing any website, let alone WordPress, is a constant challenge. Several factors influence website performance. Poor server performance, inappropriate server location, dense code, and other factors can negatively affect your WordPress website’s performance.
Yet, a common misconception is that a slow site speed is the only warning sign that a site needs immediate attention.
When a site isn’t optimized, it will most likely face several corollary problems. Hence, knowing the signs early can help with timely intervention and improve your marketing metrics and user experience.
This post will share the lesser-known signs that your WordPress site demands optimization.
The Warning Signs Your WordPress Website Isn’t Optimized
Site Outage in Peak Traffic
Occasional site outages indicate that your website hosting cannot keep up with the traffic it’s receiving. If your WordPress website runs smoothly during off-peak times and crashes when the traffic peaks, it’s a sign that your site isn’t optimized or your site’s hosting isn’t adequate.
While upgrading your web hosting service immediately could be tempting, it is wise to check whether the site is optimized enough.
For instance, older and incompatible versions of WordPress plugins and themes can prevent users from accessing your website.
Similarly, a minor error in code can also cause your site to crash during peak traffic. In 2017, Amazon suffered several hours of AWS outages due to human error.
Only once you’ve checked for such issues should you consider spending more on hosting, that is, if the problem persists.
You See Several Out-of-Memory Errors
A complex website with many plugins and services consumes more memory than a regular blog sharing content or contact forms.
For instance, eCommerce websites on WordPress often use multiple plugins that need more memory.
If your website gives out out-of-memory error messages, it’s time to optimize its performance.
To begin with, remove the unwanted plugins/themes, disable the unnecessary features, and tweak your WordPress configuration to allow it access to more memory. This will reduce your website’s memory consumption, thus improving its stability and performance.
Moreover, several hosts artificially limit a site’s access to memory on the server. If that’s the case, work towards opting for a suitable hosting package for your website.
The Online Form Isn’t Working
Online forms are a significant part of any website. They are especially critical for eCommerce websites, allowing shoppers to move from window shopping to genuine engagement.
But if these forms are broken or not working correctly, it’s a sign of a high website load or that it’s maxing out its resources. Can you imagine the damage to eCommerce businesses?
Such broken forms can cause massive trouble at checkout, resulting in complete cart abandonment or negative customer reviews or complaints. This stage is connected to several processes: processing the payment, filing an order, or emailing the customer.
Ensure you work with your developer to review the website’s errors and use simple fixes. If the problem persists, hire a dedicated WordPress developer for speed assessment and advanced solutions.
Alternatively, you may use tools such as Pingdom or GT Metrix to monitor the performance of websites, applications, and servers. These tools are cost-effective and ensure reliable uptime.
Your Website Has a High Bounce Rate
Most websites’ bounce rates range between 26% and 70%. A high bounce rate could indicate confusing navigation and poor page loading time.
A more than 70% bounce rate is disappointing for everything outside blogs, news, and events. On the other hand, a low bounce rate also indicates an issue.
Check your site’s overall responsiveness, stability, and error logs to gather hints. WordPress’s web analytics can help you pinpoint the issue.
Constant Traffic but Low Conversions
Consider this scenario: Your marketing team hasn’t drastically changed the message, design, or promotional tactics. The site also enjoys a steady stream of traffic. Everything seems good, yet there’s a sudden drop in conversion rates.
If you find no rational explanation for this drop, it points to instability or speed issues on your site. It’s time to monitor your website’s overall performance and stability closely.
Your Site Is Asking for Regular Hosting Updates
If you are being asked to upgrade your hosting plan, it’s a clear case of your website not using the available resources efficiently.
For instance, if your website host suddenly shuts down or sends you an email about violating the terms of service due to excessive usage, this could be a sign of a traffic spike, a security breach, or a performance issue.
- High bandwidth use is natural during a traffic spike. Use a CDN to solve this issue.
- A sudden burst of traffic can indicate a brute-force attack. Call a qualified security expert to address the issue if you suspect a breach.
- If it’s all clean, you are probably dealing with a site inefficiency issue.
The whole point of website optimization is to fetch better conversion rates at a lower hosting cost. If you have optimized your site’s speed, upgrading your hosting package is time.
A Significant Drop in Your Search Ranking
A website’s load time was a direct Google ranking factor long before Google’s Algorithm Speed Update. Multiple factors could cause a drop in your online rankings, but high load time is critical.
Hence, it’s critical to work with your SEO team and determine whether low speed is the possible cause of the search ranking drop.
Also, if we go deeper, Google cares about the time to first byte (TTFB) or the time taken for hosting to respond. Count the seconds between when you type in your site’s address and when you start seeing the content.
If you are forced to stare at a blank page for over two seconds, your site has a long TTFB that will affect your ranking. In this case, you should adopt tactics to speed up your site and improve your ranking. You can test your global TTFB using this SpeedVitals tool.
Closing Remarks
A WordPress website may not be performing for various reasons. Nevertheless, a poorly performing website can cost businesses much more than revenue. It can negatively impact customer trust and brand reputation.
Hence, knowing the warning signs indicating poor website performance is wise. If you experience any warning signs, it’s time for action. Work with your developers to pinpoint and solve the issue’s possible causes.
