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??♂??? On Monday, we talked about image optimization and how shrinking page size can help speed up load times. But images are only part of the equation for a faster site! Every time a page loads, your browser processes each element to display the page correctly. Without the right setup, though, the browser will try to load everything at once—even content users can’t see immediately. This can slow things down, especially for media-heavy sites like blogs and portfolios. That’s where lazy loading comes in. Lazy loading boosts page speed by initially loading only the images and videos visible on the user’s screen. As they scroll, more content loads on demand, creating a smoother experience. This approach also saves bandwidth, which is great for mobile users and those on slower connections. To set up lazy loading in WordPress, you can use the built-in option in recent versions or go further with plugins. Here are a few tips for making the most of lazy loading: ? Images above the fold (the content users see first) should load immediately, not lazily. ? Background images and other media below the fold should be set to lazy load. ? Define width and height on images to avoid layout shifts as content loads. Have you tried lazy loading on your website? Share your experience in the comments! #WordPress #LazyLoad #PageSpeed #CoreWebVitals

You no longer have to choose between beautiful images ??? and fast page loads. Serving high-quality images quickly has become so straightforward that optimizing them for the web is now a must. Take a look at the file formats you’re using. Many still default to the classics—JPEG, PNG, and GIF—but AVIF and WebP are two newer formats that bring big benefits to the table. While a few older browsers might not fully support them, AVIF and WebP are set to become the new standards. They can reduce file sizes by 20-30% compared to JPEG, meaning you get quicker load times without sacrificing image quality. Here are two simple ways to start using AVIF and WebP: 1?? Manual Conversion – Convert images one by one with tools like Photoshop or online converters. 2?? Automated Optimization – Use an image optimization plugin like Imagify to convert your entire media library in one go. Important note: Running bulk image optimizations server-side has a few things to consider. It can overwrite original uploads (which means the originals could be lost), and if you choose to preserve them, your disk space usage could easily double. Also, while AVIF files are smaller, they’re currently not supported by social networks or search engine results, so they’re not quite ready for primetime. With these next-gen formats, making the switch is an easy win when you need to optimize. If your site is feeling a bit slow, and you’re ready to boost performance, leave a comment to learn about our plans and how we can help optimize your site’s speed. #imageoptimization #nextgenformats #webp #avif #wordpress #wordpressperformance

Managing updates on a large or high-traffic WordPress site takes careful planning, research, and a few essential tools. If your site handles eCommerce orders ??, frequent content updates ??, or high visitor volumes ??, here are some practical tips to keep things running smoothly. A reliable update management workflow should include: ?? Backups – Decide if you need multiple backups per day or if one is enough. For added safety, store backups on a separate server. ?? Version Control – Tools like Git can help you track every change, so it’s easy to troubleshoot if needed.| ?? Scheduling – Regularly schedule updates to keep your site secure and performing well. ?? Review – Check changelogs ?? and forums for any red flags that could cause issues. Apply security patches as soon as possible; new features can wait if needed. ?? Stage & Test – Always test updates in a staging environment first, especially if they impact key parts of your site. This reduces the chance of surprises once updates go live. With a solid workflow in place, you’ll reduce technical issues, keep your visitors happy ??, and lower stress levels—a win all around. For more tips on managing updates, check out our latest blog post (we'll leave a link in the comments): Need a hand with WordPress theme and plugin updates? Our team is here to make site maintenance easier. Drop a comment below to get in touch. #WordPress #WebsiteMaintenance #WPUpdates #SiteManagement #WordPressTips #PluginUpdates

There are three main types of SEO: on-page, off-page, and technical. At SiteCare, we focus on technical SEO to help our clients’ sites run smoothly, making sure there are no technical barriers to supporting their on-page and off-page efforts. When we conduct a technical SEO audit, we categorize issues as Errors, Warnings, and Notices: ?? Errors – High priority. These need attention right away to prevent major issues. ?? Warnings – Less urgent, but fixing these can still make a noticeable difference. ?? Notices – Lower priority but worth addressing after handling Errors and Warnings. Some Common Technical SEO Issues We Address: ?? Slow Page Speed – Speed is important. Optimizing images, enabling caching, compressing file sizes, or using a CDN are all great places to start. ???? Duplicate Content – Canonical tags and noindex tags help avoid confusion for search engines and keep your content clear and unique. ?? Broken Links – Broken links lead to dead ends unless redirected. Using tools like Redirection can make it easy to set up redirects and improve the user experience. ?? Mixed Content – Check that your SSL is active, your Site URL uses HTTPS, and redirects are set up correctly. Mixed content flags can also indicate media isn’t linked properly. These are just a few of the technical SEO challenges we can help with! If your site’s performance on search engines could use a boost and you think the technical foundation might be the issue, leave a comment below to learn more about our WordPress SEO services. #WordPressSEO #SEO #WordPress #TechnicalSEO

?? At SiteCare, security is key, and we’ve learned that not all WordPress security plugins are created equal. Finding the right fit can feel like Goldilocks—testing out different options until you find one that’s just right. When choosing a WordPress security plugin, here are some specific do’s and don’ts we recommend: ?? Do choose a plugin with a robust web application firewall (WAF) – A WAF can protect against malicious traffic and keep your site safe. ?? Do look for plugins that alert you to vulnerabilities and offer virtual patching – This is essential for staying ahead of threats. ? Don’t use a WAF that slows down your site – Some plugins can be resource-intensive, so choose one that maintains your site’s speed. ? Avoid plugins that are overly aggressive with blocking IPs – This can lead to false positives and block legitimate users. We’d love to know what works best for you. What’s your go-to WordPress security plugin? What’s the best security plugin on WordPress? ? Sucuri ? WordFence ? Patchstack ? Other Disclaimer: Security plugins are sometimes flawed from an architectural standpoint, as firewall protections and similar security features are often more effective when run at the edge rather than at the application layer. For sites with higher security needs, an edge-based firewall solution may offer more comprehensive and efficient protection. #wordpresssecurity #cybersecurity #wordpressplugins #wordpress #securityplugins

Core Web Vitals are vital ?? for any website that wants to perform well. Focusing some efforts on improving user experience to complement your SEO strategy is well worth the effort (in our honest opinion). So, how do you know what shape your Core Web Vitals are in, and, most importantly, how do you fix them? In just 15-30 minutes, you can get a good idea of your site's performance in Core Web Vitals and how to get started with improving them. 1?? Review Core Web Vitals in Google Search Console - this will tell you what pages are struggling and what metrics need improving 2?? Run some URLs through PageSpeed Insights or GTMetrix - these tools help you identify specific performance issues and give tips on how to make improvments 3?? Fix, scan, repeat - once you know what needs to be fixed, work out the best way to resolve the issue and run a new scan to see if there are any improvements. We'll drop a link to a more comprehensive resource in the first comment. ? And while you're there in the comments section, start a conversation with our team to see how we can help if you're struggling with CWV. Check the comments to read more about how to perform a Core Web Vitals audit. #corewebvitals #wordpress #websiteaudit #googlesearchconsole

Back before we introduced our Core Web Vitals guarantee, clients would come to us for quick, one-off optimizations. Their sites would be flying ?—until suddenly, they weren’t. Even the slightest dip ?? would bring them back for help. With our Core Web Vitals guarantee, we’re always one step ahead. Optimizing Core Web Vitals isn’t a ‘set-it-and-forget-it’ deal. It takes continuous monitoring ?? and fine-tuning to keep those scores in the green ??. But how can you stay on top of Core Web Vitals yourself? Google Search Console: The ultimate checkpoint, although it updates about every 28 days. It’s great for identifying pages that need work. Automatic Monitoring Tools: We use DebugBear ?? to get instant insights. These tools give us almost real-time feedback, so we know quickly if optimizations hit the mark or need a second pass. Scanning Tools: Platforms like PageSpeed Insights ?? and GTMetrix make it easy to do a manual scan anytime, showing performance shifts in real time. While some tools can help set up automated scans and alerts, staying on top of it can still be a time commitment. Need a hand keeping your site in top shape? Drop a comment below to learn more about our Core Web Vitals guarantee! ?? #CoreWebVitals #SiteSpeed #GoogleSearchConsole #DebugBear #PageSpeedInsights #GTMetrix #WebsiteMaintenance #WordPress"

Ever wondered about WordPress user roles? They’re more than just titles—they’re a crucial line of defense for your site’s security. WordPress has 6 built-in user roles, each with different permissions: ?? Super Admin: Full control of everything on multisite networks. ??? Administrator: Access to manage everything on a single site—content, plugins, themes, you name it. ?? Editor: Can edit and publish all content, including other users’ posts. ??? Author: Can publish their own posts but won’t see anyone else’s. ?? Contributor: Can draft their own posts but needs an Editor (or above) to publish. ?? Subscriber: Great for membership sites—only able to manage their own profile. Assigning the right user role isn’t just about permissions; it’s about minimizing risk by limiting access points. Fewer admins mean fewer security vulnerabilities. Many plugins, like Yoast SEO, also offer custom roles, giving users the ability to do more without risking site security. You can even create custom roles tailored to your unique site needs. Want to learn more about getting the most out of WordPress user roles for security and functionality? Check out our guide: https://hubs.li/Q02WDbj_0 #WordPress #UserRoles #SiteSecurity #WPAdmin #WordPressTips

Ever felt a bit lost navigating DNS settings for your website? You’re not alone! After nearly 20 years of WordPress development and maintenance, we’ve become pretty handy with DNS changes for our clients. But what exactly do all those DNS record types do? Here’s a quick rundown: ? A Records: Link your domain name to an IP address. Think of it as assigning your website a home address. ? AAAA Records: Just like A records, but they point to an IPv6 address—the newer version of IP addresses. ? CNAME Records: Create an alias for a domain name. For example, you can have "https://hubs.li/Q02VFtnn0" point to "https://hubs.li/Q02VFqKf0" seamlessly. ? MX Records: Specify the mail servers responsible for handling email for your domain. Crucial for ensuring your emails reach the right place. ? TXT Records: Store text-based information. Often used for verification purposes like SPF or DKIM to enhance your email security. Understanding these can make managing your website a whole lot easier! Got questions about DNS or WordPress? Drop them below—we’re here to help. #dns #domains #wordpress #dnsrecords

?? Is your WordPress site builder helping or hurting your website’s performance? When building a WordPress site, the possibilities feel endless—you can bring almost any idea to life with the right tools. But here’s the catch: not all tools are created equal. Some might seem user-friendly but could be sacrificing your site’s speed and efficiency. Let’s chat about the two main players in WordPress site-building: ?? Page Builders These have been around since 2011, starting with WPBakery. They opened doors for non-programmers to design websites without heavy coding or relying solely on pre-built themes. Popular names like Elementor, Divi, and Beaver Builder have since added a ton of features to make site-building even easier. But there’s a flip side. Their convenience can come with downsides: ? Performance Issues: Extra features can bloat your site, slowing it down. ? Plugin Reliance: They often need third-party plugins for additional functions. ? Complex Updates: Updates might cause issues that require advanced troubleshooting. ? Lock-In Effect: Moving away from them can be a major challenge. ?? Gutenberg Block Editor Native to WordPress, blocks have evolved into powerful tools that can achieve nearly any layout or design you envision. While there’s a bit of a learning curve—and occasionally some CSS or coding helps—they’re becoming more user-friendly every day. The perks of using blocks: ? Performance-Focused: Being part of WordPress, they’re optimized for speed. ? Less Bloat: Typically require fewer additional plugins. ? Future-Proofing: Easier to maintain and update over time. Both options have their pros and cons, and the best choice often depends on your specific needs and comfort level. We’re curious—what’s your preference when building WordPress sites? Page builders or the block editor? Share your experiences below! ?? #gutenberg #wordpress #pagebuilders