Slow sites lose visitors and sales. Google confirmed that page speed affects search rankings. Users abandon sites that take more than three seconds to load. Divi Nitro handles most optimizations automatically, but understanding the strategies helps you make smart decisions.
Image optimization provides the biggest speed gains. Images typically account for 50-70% of page weight. Compress images before uploading using tools like TinyPNG or ImageOptim. Serve images in modern formats like WebP. Use responsive images so mobile users don’t download desktop-sized files.
Lazy loading delays loading images until users scroll to them. This dramatically improves initial page load time. Divi Nitro enables lazy loading automatically for images, videos, and even modules.
CSS and JavaScript minification removes unnecessary characters from code files. Combining multiple files reduces HTTP requests. Deferring non-critical JavaScript prevents render-blocking. These technical optimizations happen automatically with Divi Nitro.
Caching stores static versions of your pages so they load instantly for returning visitors. Browser caching tells visitors’ browsers to store certain files locally. Server-side caching generates page HTML once and serves it to multiple visitors. Both types work together for maximum speed.
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) serve your site from servers geographically close to your visitors. A visitor in Australia gets your site from an Australian server, not one in the US. This reduces latency and speeds up loading.
Database optimization matters for sites with lots of content. Clean up post revisions, spam comments, and transient options. Optimize database tables regularly. These cleanups improve query performance.
Font loading strategy affects perceived performance. Limit custom font usage to 2-3 families. Use font-display: swap to prevent invisible text while fonts load. Consider system fonts for body text to eliminate font loading entirely.
Measure your improvements with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix. Focus on real-world metrics like Largest Contentful Paint and Time to Interactive, not just overall scores.