Why this stack works
WordPress + Hello is a lean setup: you control your content, the theme adds almost no bloat, and you can style with blocks or your preferred builder. The only catch? As the site grows, small choices (images, fonts, plugins) add up. This checklist keeps things tidy so you stay fast without babysitting the site.
TL;DR quick wins
Turn on page caching (server or plugin) and browser caching. But check Elementor cache settings too.
Compress images on upload; serve modern formats (WebP/AVIF) where possible. 80 % compression is great!
One H1 per page. Titles ~30–65 chars; meta descriptions ~70–160.
Add JSON-LD (Article/Product/FAQ) and validate it.
Social preview: 1200×630 image + OG & Twitter tags set.
15-minute setup (start here)
1) Caching
- Use the cache that matches your server/CDN:
- LiteSpeed server → LiteSpeed Cache (plugin). Deep integration (page cache, image/HTML optimization).
- NGINX + FastCGI (common on managed hosts) → let the host’s FastCGI cache handle pages; use a lean plugin only for headers/preload.
- Apache + Varnish → keep page caching at the edge; plugin does HTML/meta tweaks, not page caching.
- Cloudflare → turn on CDN; for WordPress consider APO. Keep minify/defer in one place (either Cloudflare or plugin), not both.
- Elementor-specific hygiene:
- External CSS files: Elementor → Settings → Advanced → CSS Print Method → External File (better cacheability than big inline CSS).
- Regenerate/Purge: Elementor → Tools → Regenerate Files & Data after theme/plugin updates, then purge server/CDN cache.
- Improved Asset Loading / Optimized DOM Output: turn ON in Elementor → Settings → Features/Experiments (names vary by version).
- If a cache/optimization plugin also minifies/combines assets, exclude
/wp-content/uploads/elementor/or disable duplicate minify/combine there.
- One optimizer at a time: pick where minify/combine/defer happens (server, CDN, or plugin) and do it once. Double-processing causes breakage.
- Exclude sensitive pages from page cache: cart, checkout, account, search, and any URL with user-specific cookies/params.
- If you’re unsure, test—don’t guess:
- Take a baseline: WebPageTest/PageSpeed Insights/Lighthouse. Capture TTFB, FCP, LCP, CLS, requests, transfer size.
- Change one thing at a time. Warm the cache, then re-test from the same location/device profile.
- Watch p95 Core Web Vitals in Search Console for a week before calling it done.
- Keep a quick rollback (some stacks can break carts/logins with over-aggressive caching).
- Troubleshooting quick hits:
- HTML minify breaking layouts? Disable HTML minify first; keep CSS/JS minify only.
- Random logged-in states? Ensure “don’t cache for logged-in users” is on.
- Third-party scripts (chat/maps) stalling? Delay non-critical JS, but don’t delay essentials above-the-fold.
- When to hand it off: Stores, memberships, multilingual sites, or complex CDNs are worth a host-assisted setup or a specialist. Share: hosting type, CDN details, theme/builder, active optimization plugin(s), pages to exclude, and any breakage you’ve seen.
2) Images (the low-drama way)
- Default export at max 2560px on the longest edge; thumbnails and srcsets will handle smaller uses.
- Auto-compress on upload; prefer WebP/AVIF fallbacks if your stack supports it.
- Lazy-load images below the first screenful; keep your hero image lean.
- Try to size images to match outpup size.
3) Titles & descriptions
- Title tag: 30–65 characters. Lead with the value, not your brand.
- Meta description: 70–160 characters. Write a helpful promise.
- Use one H1 per page; keep the rest as H2/H3 for scannability.
- Keep them all unique to each page.
4) Clean previews (sharing & search)
- Add Open Graph (og:title, og:description, og:image) and Twitter Card (summary or summary_large_image).
- Use a 1200×630 image. Test with a preview tool to check truncation.
5) Schema (structured data)
- Add JSON-LD via your SEO plugin (Article, Product, FAQPage, Organization, etc.).
- Validate and fix warnings; it doesn’t guarantee rich results, but you won’t be eligible without it.
Keep it fast as you grow (30–60 minutes when you have time)
A) Fonts without the bloat
- Use two weights max (e.g., 400 and 700).
- Preload one primary font file used in the hero/above-the-fold.
- Set font-display: swap so text appears immediately.
- If you self-host fonts, disable external font loading in your builder/theme to avoid duplicates.
B) Elementor + Hello: simple speed habits
- Disable widgets/features you don’t use (icons packs, lightbox, animations, maps, etc.). In Elementor settings you’ll find a Features/Experiments panel—turn off what’s not needed. This alone shrinks the CSS/JS your site ships.
- Enter Elements Manager, turn off unused elements.
- Prefer Container/Section layouts with fewer nested wrappers; deep nesting increases DOM size.
- Use global styles (colors, typography) instead of per-widget inline styles.
- Go easy on motion effects and parallax; they add work to every scroll frame.
- Load icons on demand (or a tiny subset), not the entire library.
- Reuse components (header/footer/CTA) as templates or global parts instead of rebuilding per page.
C) Plugin hygiene
- One SEO plugin, one cache plugin. Avoid overlapping features (e.g., two things minifying CSS).
- Remove deactivated or duplicate plugins; fewer updates, fewer risks.
- If a plugin loads assets site-wide, look for a setting to load on specific pages only.
- Update!
D) Media & layout
- Use responsive images (WordPress does this; don’t override unless you must).
- For hero sections, cap background images near 200–300 KB; use real text over images so headlines remain crisp.
- Keep embedded scripts (maps, chat, heavy video) off the homepage unless they truly earn their keep.
When this stack needs “a bit more”
- Layout jitters or “jank”. Consider a small child theme so you can add critical CSS for your above-the-fold content.
- Complex archives or multi-language. Plan custom post types/taxonomies and a proper internationalization layer.
- Large sites built entirely in the editor feel slow. Audit heavy patterns and move repeating bits into templates/partials.
FAQ
Is Elementor required with Hello
No. Hello is a minimal theme—it works fine with the block editor or another builder. Elementor is optional.
Which cache plugin should I use?
Pick the lightest that plays well with your host. You only need one. Avoid doubling up on minify/optimization features.
Do I need a CDN?
If your audience is global or you serve big media, a CDN helps. If most visitors are local and assets are lean, you can wait.
Will changing themes make me fast overnight?
Hello removes theme bloat, but speed mostly comes from images, fonts, caching and restraint with plugins/effects.
Where do I disable unused Elementor stuff?
In Elementor’s settings: look for a Features/Experiments (name varies by version). Turn off widgets and features you don’t use—this reduces CSS/JS size.
Final note
You don’t have to chase perfect scores. Aim for consistently fast pages and clear previews that earn clicks. The stack you already chose can do both—this checklist keeps it that way.