How to Speed Up Elementor Websites

How to Speed Up Elementor

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Elementor is a powerful WordPress page builder, but as your site grows, performance issues can arise. Slow loading times can affect your user experience and SEO rankings. In this guide, we’ll share practical tips to help you speed up Elementor websites to improve performance.

Table of Contents

Why Elementor Page Speed Matters

Website speed directly impacts user engagement, search engine rankings, and conversion rates. Optimising your Elementor website ensures your visitors have a smooth experience, which can lead to higher traffic and better SEO outcomes.

5 Ways to Speed Up Elementor

1. Optimise Images and Media

Website design often relies on visuals, but large image files can significantly slow down your Elementor site.

Compress images before uploading them and use formats like WebP for faster loading. Here’s a couple of tools I use to do this:

Cloudinary

Why Use WebP Images Instead of Large Formats Like PNG?

  • Smaller File Size: WebP images are up to 30-50% smaller than PNGs without losing noticeable quality, making them ideal for faster web performance.
  • Faster Load Times: Smaller images load faster, improving website speed and reducing bounce rates.
  • Supports Transparency: Like PNG, WebP also supports transparency (alpha channels) while keeping file sizes significantly smaller.
  • Improved Compression: Offers both lossy and lossless compression, giving you flexibility in balancing quality and size.
  • SEO Benefits: Faster-loading images improve your site’s Core Web Vitals, which can boost search engine rankings.
  • Universal Compatibility: WebP is increasingly supported by all major browsers, making it a future-proof choice.
  • Energy Efficiency: Smaller images reduce bandwidth and energy consumption, supporting sustainability goals.
  • Better User Experience: Quick-loading visuals enhance usability, especially on mobile devices with slower connections.

Speeding up elementor websites by avoiding video hosting

For most websites, hosting video content on YouTube or another external platform is the better choice for speed and performance.

If you need a more branded or controlled experience, hosting a lightweight, optimised MP4 on your server is still viable.

2. Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML

Elementor generates CSS and JavaScript for its designs, which can add bulk to your pages.

Use a plugin like WP Rocket to minify and combine these files, reducing the number of requests your site makes.

Also, there are options in Elementor > Settings > Performance tab for Optimized Image Loading and Lazy Load Background Images.

This will improve initial page load performance by lazy loading images and background images below the fold except the first one above the fold. These options should be set to ‘Enable’ by default but it’s worth checking.

3. Enable Caching

Caching improves your site’s loading speed by storing static versions of your pages. Tools like WP Rocket or Breeze/Object Cache Pro if you’re using Cloudways to host your site, are excellent for implementing page caching and optimising your Elementor speed.

Please note, that you may need to clear/flush the cache when making changes to the site for you and users to see the most recent changes on the front end.

Breeze / Object Cache

4. Use the Right Hosting Provider

Choosing the correct hosting provider is critical for maintaining site speed and scalability.

We recommend using hosting solutions like Cloudways, which offer excellent performance and the ability to scale resources as your site grows. This ensures your Elementor site remains fast even during traffic spikes.

Another benefit of using a platform like Cloudways, it is much easier to keep on top of PHP and database updates.

With major updates to PHP you’ll notice an improvement to site performance.

Web Hosting

5. Choose Lightweight Themes and Plugins like Hello Elementor

Heavy themes and excessive plugins can bloat your site.

Choose a lightweight theme like Hello Elementor and deactivate unnecessary plugins you’re not using or could do without to keep your website lean and fast.

Benefits of Using Hello Elementor as a Lightweight Theme

  • Blazing Fast Performance: Hello Elementor is ultra-lightweight, ensuring your site loads quickly, improving user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
  • Built for Elementor: Designed specifically for Elementor, it offers seamless integration and compatibility with all Elementor features.
  • Customisable to the Core: A blank-slate theme that gives you total creative freedom to design your website without unnecessary restrictions or pre-built styles.
  • Minimal Bloat: Strips out unnecessary code and features, keeping your site lean and optimised for speed.
  • Improved SEO: Faster load times and clean code contribute to better search engine rankings.
  • Reduced Plugin Conflicts: Its simplicity minimises the risk of plugin compatibility issues.
  • Mobile-Friendly: Works perfectly with Elementor’s responsive design tools to ensure your site looks great on all devices.
  • Free to Use: Hello Elementor is 100% free, making it an affordable option for building professional websites.
  • Easier Maintenance: A lightweight theme means fewer updates and less risk of vulnerabilities, ensuring long-term stability.

FAQs About Elementor Speed Optimisation

Does Elementor slow down your site?

Elementor itself does not inherently slow down your site, but excessive use of widgets, unoptimised images, and lack of caching can contribute to slower performance.

Proper optimisation can eliminate these issues.

Is Elementor hosting good?

Elementor hosting is designed to work well with Elementor sites.

However, it is limited and may not always be the fastest or most cost-effective option compared to managed hosting providers like Cloudways.

Speed up elementor websites: final Summary

Speeding up your Elementor site is essential for better user experience and SEO.

By optimising images, enabling caching, suitable hosting and choosing lightweight themes, you can significantly improve your website’s performance.

Need Help Optimising Your Elementor Website?

If you need support building or maintaining your Elementor site, get in touch with our team at Makilo.

We specialise in creating fast, responsive WordPress websites with Elementor. Contact us today to discuss a project or any technical questions you might have.

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