WordPress › Support » Site is so slow to load....

michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Hello. My site http://bigrockinvestments.com is so slow to load. I don't know where the problem is. It takes about 5-6 seconds to load and I'm sure it's killing my SEO.

I'm using the AgentPress 2.0 child them with Genesis from StudioPress. I've tried to make my graphics small and use the SmushIt plugin to ensure it. I also use W3 Total Cache and WP Optimize. I'm also using the WP-Cycle plugin for my homepage slider, but the graphics are less than 60k apiece (8 total). But the site is also slow to load all pages, not just the home page, so I don't think the slider is the issue.

The weird thing is that http://host-tracker.com says my site load time averages under 1 second but my own experience is around 6 seconds. Also, the new Google Analytics gives me a Page Speed of around 6 seconds as well.

So I'm at a loss, but I want to get this fixed once and for all. The site is hosted with GoDaddy on a shared hosting plan. One guy there said the shared hosting was the reason b/c I have about 35 domains, even though this and another are the only two WordPress sites -- the rest are simple 1-2 page splash sites. Another GoDaddy guy, though, is the one that pointed me to the host-tracker.com stats that said 'no problem', basically. Confused!

Any help is much appreciated. Thank you.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Who owns host-tracker? GoDaddy? In the realm of jurisprudence, training clueless so called tech people to use a tool like this would have a term, but I shall not name it.
michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

You may have a valid point and I really don't know the answer. Does Google own it? I have no idea. I'm asking here because from past experience I won't get any BS, just straight answers or at least valuable information. My site speed is driving me nuts. Why on earth would it take 5-6 seconds to load when other sites come up instantly? My site's not doing anything crazy.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

More here.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Google? NO! GoDaddy, yes!
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

WordPress is a dynamic application, it needs to pull all the data out of the database and create the file that loads in your browser (Use a modern one).

There are many techniques to get your site running better including using a CDN, optimizing the databse, using your provided services properly, server app revisions...to name only a few.

If you are using the Linux plan, use W3 Total Cache and give the app time to work, clear your local browser cache and maybe even review your own computer/network/ISP speeds.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

FYI - I just loaded your site and it was responsive.

SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

<!-- Performance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: http://www.w3-edge.com/wordpress-plugins/

Minified using disk: basic
Page Caching using disk: enhanced
Database Caching 3/10 queries in 0.035 seconds using disk: basic
Object Caching 1366/1373 objects using disk: basic

Served from: bigrockinvestments.com @ 2011-12-02 00:10:56 -->

You are using disk caching, which is not optimal.

michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Thanks. I've tried in Safari, Firefox and Chrome -- all the latest versions -- and I've optimized the db with WP-Optimize plugin. Hosting is shared hosting, so I have no control over server apps and such.

I'm not overly familiar with CDNs, though I've seen the term thrown around a bit.

Yes, I'm on the shared Linux hosting plan and have cleared my browser caches. How much time does W3 need? I've had it running for about a month now and always clear the plugin cache as prompted when de/activating plugins.

Isn't there a tool somewhere to plug into the website or somewhere to see where the bottleneck could be? Maybe it's just one little dumb thing.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

See my last post.
michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

So the site loaded up as quickly as any other site for you? So strange. It's the only website that continually takes 5 seconds or so to load up for me.
michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

It says here to use disk caching:

http://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-install-and-setup-w3-total-cache-for-beginners/

This is the site I used to set up W3.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

These results and these also are important to review and address.
michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Thanks a lot - I will continue working on this in the morning.

But I just want to be clear on something -- the sites loads quickly for you? As in a couple seconds? Just trying to figure out if it's me/my network or the site.
MickeyRoush
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

What's going on with that Facebook plugin? It's pulling up a lot of static files. Try disabling that Facebook plugin and see if it responds better.

Also, what are those calls to cmsvoteup?

You could try disabling the AddThis plugin, but it doesn't look like it's hanging up your site.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Review gzip also, it looks like the image files (there are many) are trying to be compressed by gzip? Not recommended. Optimize before upload, but carefully look at each image in several browsers to see how they appear (may lose some quality on some images, especially jpg's)...and remember, just a small reduction in pixel width on images can reduce the file size exponentially. It also looks like your image loading plugin is sending all the rotating images at once (there are 6 or so at 35-60K each?) This is OK on a great server, but on your current setup can slow things down when traffic is high on the server. Look into that CDN.
michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Thanks to you both. I'm continuing to work on this.

1. I disabled the Facebook Like Box plugin that was loading on every page. That caused a decent uptick in ratings on GTMetrix.com (now Page Speed 91, YSlow 82). Too bad, b/c I like that social media presence but it's not worth the trade-off. I can put a static image there instead and link it to my FB page.

2. I don't know what "cmsvoteu" is -- sorry. Can you please explain?

3. Disabling AddThis did not do much to improve performance.

4. I've removed two images from the WP-Cycle slider plugin on the homepage. There are now 6 images at about 50k apiece average.

5. I've set up my W3 Total Cache options according to http://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-install-and-setup-w3-total-cache-for-beginners/

6. GTMetrix.com Page Speed recommendations:
-- Parallelize downloads across hostnames
-- Specify image dimensions (lists 7 graphics but all are small)
GTMetrix.com YSlow recommendations:
-- Add Expires headers (lists 8 components although I've already turned that on in W3 Total Cache; however these 8 are on other domains like fonts.googleapis.com, forms.aweber.com and connect.facebook.net, so I assume I can't do anything about those)
-- Use cookie-free domains (lists 14 image files on my domain - not sure how I can modify that)
-- Make fewer HTTP requests

7. It appears that about all the errors found on validator.w3.org refer to missing tags in my upper right header and in the four footer elements. They look fine to me but since I'm not a coder, maybe I'm using old HTML.

8. Re: gzip. I'm using the Smush-It image compressing plugin.....? Should I export from PSD to PNG instead of JPG? Not use Smush-It?

Thanks again for all the assistance. Greatly appreciated.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

I don't know what "cmsvoteu" is -- sorry. Can you please explain?

cmsvoteu is a file being loaded (and quite slowly also) - review the source code and search for it, then find out what is loading it.

You can ignore results based on file loading from external sites as you cannot affect them unless you remove the widget, plugin, or link, which may not be a bad idea to test YOUR site. You can also correct improper nested results by correcting the code given for such.

Reducing the # and size of HTTP requests can and will improve site performance as perceived in the browser.

I tried smush it on a shared host and it degraded performance overall (too many database calls), optimize images and remove compression of them as this one fix will greatly reduce server response times. Keep the total initial page load small.

Hope this also helps....
michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Thanks as always. I now have a Google Page Speed of 96/100 when run in Firefox. I disabled the Facebook Like Box as noted above and also added the two items to my .htaccess as described here: http://www.tipsandtricks-hq.com/how-to-add-far-future-expires-headers-to-your-wordpress-site-1533

I still have a 91 page / 82 yslow in GTMetrix, so that will need to be addressed. Not quite as rosy a rating as Google Page Speed, but I'm better than where I was yesterday.

I will try to hunt down that rogue cmsvoteu as I've no clue on that right now. Perhaps it's part of the Genesis theme or AgentPress 2.0 child theme.

Thanks for the tip on Smush It. I'll go back into Photoshop and try to export smaller, cleaner files and replace the existing ones.

I guess my HTML code is old in my right header and footers - I'll go back to HTML school and see what the fuss is with my open and closing tags.

I understand about reducing the # and size of HTTP requests, but I need to keep the functionality I have. I may be removing the aweber form on the homepage to the right of the slider and placing an embedded non-autostarting Youtube video in there, but it's still an external call.

The strange thing that still bugs me, though, is that I have delays even when I'm working strictly in the admin panel, going between posts, pages and stuff. That alone tells me it's a hosting issue with GoDaddy. Maybe their guy was right in that my shared Linux hosting plan can't handle my 40ish domains, even if only a few are WP and most are just 1-2 static pages....

Anyway, I will keep pressing along and update here accordingly. Thanks for your assistance.
michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Found the "cmsvoteup" - it was in the Facebook Like Box plugin that I disabled, so that should be a non-issue as I don't have any other social media plugins enabled.

Here's the actual code from the plugin:
$img_live_dir = 'http://www.cmsvoteup.com/images/power_by_2x2.gif';
$html = "<img src=\"$img_live_dir\" border=\"0\"/>";

However, I might try enabling it again and just stripping out these two lines.
SwansonPhotos
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

Great - now give the site time to be timely...as far as working with GD and admin:

A) Login>make a change>logout>clear domain coookies. Your perception of this is defined by 'time'. Do not keep a page open at index.php with AJAX admin running on that page (most plugins use ajax)...

B) If you have that many domains, it may be time do realize the limitations of a shared host, upgrade with GD, or move on.

C) To keep FAST_CGI running, use meta refresh of less tha 1.5 minutes...(create a file similar to index.php but add a meta refresh and run that on a non used node) = Keeps Fast-CGI 'awake'. When GD shuts down FAST-CGI, it can and will take a while for your next site vistor (you?) to load the page(s).

D) Is the new Auth Salt actually supported? (4 y 8 n)
michaelborger
Member
Posted 6 months ago #

A) Got it. I assume you're just referring to general working practices.

B) Yes, but I think this domain probably gets 90% of the traffic of all that I have. Most of my domains are just 1-2 page splash sites with few, short duration visitors. However, there are 6 other WP sites that, while getting only maybe 10-30 visitors a day, might still be using resources equally on the shared GD server. Not sure how that works. Maybe if I kill them it would speed up this site.

C) & D) I'm not familiar with these terms or how I'd get my hands on an unused node in my GD hosting plan. I don't have a dedicated server.

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