How to Reduce Time to First Byte (TTFB) On WordPress

In the ever-evolving world of website optimization, one metric that has gained significant attention is TTFB, or Time to First Byte. TTFB refers to the time it takes for a web server to respond to a user’s request and deliver the first byte of data back to the browser. Essentially, it’s the measure of how fast a server responds to a request.

For WordPress site owners, a slow TTFB can have major implications. It can negatively affect user experience, search engine rankings, and even conversions. This blog post will show you How to Reduce Time to First Byte (TTFB) On WordPress

What Is TTFB and Why Does It Matter

Before diving into the specific steps to reduce TTFB, let’s first take a deeper look at what TTFB is and why it is so important.

TTFB is the time interval between the moment when a user requests a webpage and the moment the first byte of data is received from the server. This includes:

1. DNS Lookup Time: The time taken to resolve the domain name.
2. Server Processing Time: The time taken by the server to process the request, which could involve database queries, retrieving files, and executing code.
3. Network Latency: The time taken to send data from the server to the user’s browser.

Many people mistakenly think that TTFB is solely related to network performance. However, server configuration and performance are key factors as well. A slow TTFB can negatively impact the loading speed of your site, which in turn affects SEO (Search Engine Optimization) rankings. Google has explicitly stated that page speed, including TTFB, is a ranking factor.

Moreover, a slow TTFB can frustrate users, leading them to leave your site, resulting in a higher bounce rate and lower user engagement. All in all, TTFB plays a critical role in both user experience and website performance metrics.

Ideal TTFB

While there is no universally agreed-upon benchmark for TTFB, the general consensus is that:

• A TTFB under 200 milliseconds (ms) is excellent.
• 200ms to 500ms is acceptable.
• Anything above 500ms could be improved.

Now that you know what TTFB is and why it matters, let’s explore ways to reduce it on your WordPress site.

1. Choose a High-Quality Hosting Provider

The most significant factor affecting TTFB is your hosting provider. If you’re using shared hosting, your server’s resources are split between multiple websites, leading to higher response times. Opting for a premium WordPress hosting provider is a key step in lowering your TTFB.

Types of Hosting

• Shared Hosting: Multiple websites share the same server resources. As mentioned, this type of hosting usually leads to slower TTFB due to resource competition.
• VPS (Virtual Private Server): This offers more dedicated resources than shared hosting, improving performance and TTFB. It’s a good middle-ground option.
• Dedicated Hosting: You get an entire server to yourself, eliminating resource competition. This can dramatically reduce TTFB but comes at a higher cost.
• Managed WordPress Hosting: Specially optimized for WordPress, this type of hosting comes with server configurations and caching specifically tailored for WordPress sites.

Recommended Hosting Providers for Faster TTFB:

1. SiteGround (siteground.com): Known for its solid infrastructure and customer support, SiteGround is highly optimized for WordPress and offers a fast response time.
2. Kinsta (kinsta.com): A premium managed WordPress host powered by Google Cloud, Kinsta is optimized for speed and reliability.
3. WP Engine (wpengine.com): WP Engine is a highly recommended managed WordPress hosting platform that focuses on performance, security, and scalability.

Hosting Location Matters

When choosing a host, consider the geographic location of the server. The closer your server is to your primary audience, the lower the network latency, and thus, the faster the TTFB. Some hosting providers allow you to choose the location of your data center, which can further improve performance.

2. Utilize a CDN (Content Delivery Network)

A CDN stores cached copies of your site’s content in multiple data centers worldwide. When a user visits your site, the CDN serves content from the closest server, reducing the time it takes for the data to travel from the server to the user’s browser.

By reducing the physical distance between your server and your users, CDNs help lower network latency, which directly impacts TTFB. They also reduce the load on your origin server, freeing it up to process requests faster.

Recommended CDNs:

• Cloudflare (cloudflare.com): Cloudflare is a free and widely-used CDN that offers robust performance optimization features.
• StackPath (stackpath.com): StackPath is known for its fast, reliable global network and strong focus on security.
• KeyCDN (keycdn.com): KeyCDN offers affordable and high-performance CDN services that are easy to integrate with WordPress.

To integrate a CDN with WordPress, most CDNs offer plugins or provide settings that can be easily configured. Cloudflare, for example, has a dedicated WordPress plugin that makes it easy to get started.

3. Enable Caching

Caching is another key method for reducing TTFB. Caching stores a static version of your website, reducing the amount of time needed for the server to generate a response for each user. By enabling caching, you can serve static pages to users without needing to regenerate the page content every time someone visits your site.

Types of Caching:

• Page Caching: Stores a static version of your site pages. This reduces the server processing time.
• Object Caching: Stores database query results, which can speed up the response time for repeated requests.
• Browser Caching: Stores certain files (like CSS, JavaScript, and images) on a user’s device, so they don’t have to be downloaded again when the user revisits the site.

Recommended Caching Plugins for WordPress:

• WP Rocket (wp-rocket.me): A premium caching plugin that is easy to set up and includes advanced caching options. WP Rocket is known for dramatically improving page load speed and reducing TTFB.
• W3 Total Cache (w3-edge.com): This plugin offers comprehensive caching options, including page, object, and database caching. It’s a bit more complex to configure but very powerful.
• LiteSpeed Cache (litespeedtech.com): If your hosting provider uses LiteSpeed servers, this plugin is highly recommended for its integration with the server to deliver optimal caching.

After enabling caching, you should see a noticeable reduction in TTFB as the server no longer needs to process database queries and dynamic content for each page load.

4. Optimize Your Database

WordPress relies heavily on database queries to generate your site’s content. A bloated or unoptimized database can significantly increase TTFB. Optimizing your database can help improve the server’s response time and overall site performance.

Steps to Optimize Your Database:

1. Delete Old Revisions: WordPress saves post revisions, which can clutter your database over time. You can use plugins like WP-Optimize to clear old post revisions.
2. Remove Unused Plugins and Themes: Deactivating a plugin or theme doesn’t remove it from your database. Delete any unused plugins and themes to keep your database lean.
3. Optimize Database Tables: Over time, your database tables can become fragmented. Use a plugin like WP-DBManager or WP-Optimize to clean up and optimize your database tables.
4. Limit Post Revisions: You can limit the number of post revisions saved by WordPress by adding the following line to your wp-config.php file:

By limiting post revisions and cleaning your database, you can reduce the server’s workload and improve response time.

5. Minimize External HTTP Requests

When your WordPress site makes multiple HTTP requests to external sources (such as fonts, ads, or tracking scripts), it can increase the time it takes for your server to respond. Reducing the number of external requests will improve both TTFB and page load time.

How to Reduce External HTTP Requests:

• Host Local Files: If possible, host JavaScript, CSS, and font files locally rather than pulling them from external sources.
• Combine CSS and JS Files: Use plugins like Autoptimize to combine multiple CSS and JavaScript files into one. This reduces the number of requests made to the server.
• Defer Unnecessary Requests: Delay the loading of non-essential scripts until the main content has loaded. Plugins like WP Rocket allow you to defer JavaScript to improve site performance.

By reducing external requests, you can decrease the load on your server, speeding up the response time.

6. Use the Latest PHP Version

PHP is the scripting language used by WordPress. Each new version of PHP offers significant performance improvements, which can reduce the time it takes for your server to process requests. Upgrading to the latest version of PHP can have a dramatic impact on TTFB.

How to Check and Upgrade PHP Version:

1. Check Current PHP Version: You can check your current PHP version by logging into your WordPress dashboard and navigating to Tools > Site Health > Info > Server.
2. Upgrade PHP: Contact your hosting provider or use your hosting control panel (such as cPanel or Plesk) to upgrade to the latest version of PHP. Most managed WordPress hosting providers offer easy PHP version upgrades.

It’s essential to check for plugin and theme compatibility before upgrading PHP. However, in most cases, upgrading PHP is a low-risk operation that can yield significant performance gains.

7. Optimize WordPress Themes and Plugins

Heavy or poorly coded WordPress themes and plugins can slow down server response time. Optimizing your WordPress installation by using lightweight themes and minimizing the number of active plugins can significantly improve TTFB.

Tips for Optimizing Themes and Plugins:

• Use a Lightweight Theme: Themes with excessive features and complex layouts can slow down your server’s processing time. Choose a lightweight theme like GeneratePress (generatepress.com) or Astra (wpastra.com) to improve site performance.
• Deactivate Unused Plugins: Review your active plugins and deactivate any that are not essential to your site’s functionality. The fewer plugins you have, the less work your server has to do.
• Update Themes and Plugins Regularly: Outdated themes and plugins may not be optimized for performance and security. Regularly updating them ensures you’re using the latest, most efficient code.

By simplifying your WordPress installation and ensuring everything is up-to-date, you can improve both server performance and TTFB.

8. Monitor TTFB and Performance Metrics

Finally, it’s important to regularly monitor your TTFB and overall site performance. This will help you identify any issues and measure the effectiveness of your optimizations.

Tools for Monitoring TTFB:

• Google PageSpeed Insights (developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights): Provides detailed insights into your website’s performance, including TTFB and recommendations for improvement.
• GTmetrix (gtmetrix.com): A comprehensive performance testing tool that measures TTFB and other critical metrics like page load speed.
• Pingdom Tools (tools.pingdom.com): Allows you to test your website’s performance from multiple locations worldwide and provides detailed reports on TTFB and other performance metrics.

Regularly testing your site with these tools will give you a clear idea of how your TTFB is improving and where further optimizations can be made.

Reducing TTFB for your WordPress site is crucial for improving page speed, user experience, and SEO performance. By following the steps outlined above – such as choosing the right hosting provider, enabling caching, optimizing your database, and reducing external HTTP requests – you can significantly lower your TTFB and improve overall site performance.

Remember, optimizing TTFB isn’t a one-time task. Regular monitoring and updating your WordPress site, along with continuous performance testing, will ensure that your site remains fast, responsive, and optimized for both users and search engines.