How to Reduce the Response Time of a Web Server

The server is a fundamental part of a web page. Ultimately, it is what will allow visitors to receive the information and navigate that site. If there is a problem, it could result in loading errors, offering a bad service and also being penalized by search engines. In this article we are going to give some tips to reduce load and improve server response time .

Reduce server response time

It should be noted that the response time of a server is a very important factor for a web page . It is basically the time it takes for the server to respond to a request from the browser. This can make the user, the visitor in short, receive what they are looking for in a shorter or longer time.

Reduce the Response Time of a Web Server

For a web page to load quickly not only influences how we have it configured and optimized, but it will also depend on the response of the server where we host it. It is essential to try to reduce this response time as much as possible to provide a good service.

Install a lightweight and optimized theme

Something basic that we can take into account is the fact of installing a theme that is light and that does not imply a significant load for the web server that we are using. In this way we will achieve that it loads as quickly as possible and that it does not cause a wait that ends up affecting visitors and SEO.

Therefore, optimizing the WordPress theme we are using is essential. There are many options that we have available, but in this case the one that is light, that does not overload our page, prevails.

Don’t load the whole web at once

Another issue to keep in mind to reduce server response time is not loading the entire web at once. When we enter a page, on many occasions our browser has to download all the content. This includes images, videos that have inserted, complements …

On the other hand, other pages can install plugins so that the site loads in parts, as the visitor scrolls, for example. In this way, at first it loads the essentials of the page and later it loads the rest of the images.

Ancho de banda, velocidad y ping

Don’t install too many plugins

There are plugins that are very interesting to favor some aspects related to the loading of our page, such as plugins like the previous one that we have discussed. But we must bear in mind that each of the add-ons that we have installed can also pose a loading problem. The more we have, the worse.

For this reason, we must always install those that are really going to contribute something positive and that do not turn into the opposite and suppose an added load that affects the speed of that website.

Install a caching tool

WordPress has plugins to cache the web and thus gain in loading speed. Again the goal is that when a visitor enters the site, they load as quickly as possible without a long wait.

An example is WP-Rocket. It is a plugin that helps reduce TTFB, which is the initial loading time of a page. In this way we can scratch a few tenths of a second that are sure to come in handy for search engines.

SSD disk

The most advanced web servers offer SSD disks . This will also help improve response speed. At the end of the day, it is the same as if we compare between copying files to an HD disk versus an SSD, we will notice a difference in speed.

The same thing happens when loading a website. It is advisable to opt for a hosting that offers us the possibility of having SSD disks and thus improve response time. It all adds up to making our site faster.

Optimize images

If there is something that can slow down the loading of a web page, it is images . An article, for example, can contain several images, as well as those that we have static on our site. A good idea therefore is to optimize those images. It is important that they occupy little, without causing them to lose excessive quality.

The less these photos take up, the better to load the website. Especially if we are going to upload many images, it is essential that they are correctly optimized.

In short, these are some tips to reduce the response time of a web server. Some basic changes can help in the long run to better position that page and get a more optimal response for our visitors.