The following excerpt is taken from Optimizing WordPress for Web Core Vitals. You can read the introduction to the guide here.
Earlier in the guide, I mentioned that your Core Web Vitals scores might change from moment to moment based on the response time of your web server. While many of the changes we discuss in this guide are generally “fixed” once you finish them – for example, changing your above-the-fold imagery or converting your JPGs to WebPs — you’ll need to keep a constant eye on the speed and quality of your web hosting provider and other pieces of your infrastructure.
If you’re struggling with your server’s “initial response time” or seeing consistently low scores on any of the key Core Web Vitals metrics, it makes sense to consider a migration to a faster web host.
For the vast majority of our clients, we recommend WP Engine. They have WordPress-specific security and performance optimizations, really great built-in caching and high-quality 24/7 live-chat support. They’re a little more expensive ($30/month rather than the $5/month you’ll get from a budget host), but unquestionably worth the investment for the speed improvements.
The second key piece of your infrastructure is Cloudflare, which provides a wide array of services, but for our purposes provides built-in caching and speed optimization, including automatically making your HTML, JavaScript and CSS files smaller. Cloudflare, which is free, will become your DNS provider and also add lots of helpful firewall and security features to make it less likely your site will suffer from downtime related to a cyberattack.
The combo of Cloudflare and WP Engine means you’ll have a strong foundation, and switching will probably boost your Core Web Vitals score immediately if you’re currently on a budget host.
The vast majority of our clients are running lightning-fast on WP Engine (that’s where we host our own site as well), but for some of our larger-scale clients we set up custom Amazon Web Services (AWS) hosting environments. This usually doesn’t make sense until you’ve maxed out the higher-end WP Engine plans ($600+ per month), but if your traffic warrants it, a custom AWS stack can be a cost-effective upgrade to increase your site’s speed.
If you need help migrating to WP Engine, Cloudflare or AWS, feel free to contact us and we’ll help you get set up with a higher-quality infrastructure.
