Page performance is the unicorn of technical seo and is crucial for WordPress e-commerce sites, especially with the rise of FSE and its impact on site performance. Google considers page speed a vital ranking factor, and it directly affects user experience.
Written By Tommy Wrenn, Lead Strategist + Creative Director for ArmoredGate.com + TommyWrenn.com
Here’s what you need to know about page speed for WordPress, FSE, and Google in 2025:
Key Aspects:
- Core Web Vitals: Google’s Core Web Vitals (CWV) are essential metrics for measuring page speed and user experience. They include:
- Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures how long it takes for the largest content element to become visible on the screen. Aim for an LCP of 2.5 seconds or less.
- First Input Delay (FID): Measures the time it takes for a page to become interactive. Aim for an FID of 100 milliseconds or less.
- Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures the unexpected shifting of content on the page. Aim for a CLS score of 0.1 or less.
- Mobile-First Indexing: Google primarily uses the mobile version of your website for indexing and ranking. Therefore, optimizing page speed for mobile devices is crucial.
- FSE Impact: Full Site Editing in WordPress can significantly impact page speed. Themes and blocks used in FSE can add extra code and resources, affecting loading times.
- HTTP/3: The latest version of the HTTP protocol, HTTP/3, offers significant speed improvements. Ensure your hosting and CDN support HTTP/3.
Optimization Techniques:
- Choose a fast hosting provider: Opt for a hosting provider with optimized servers and infrastructure for WordPress.
- Use a lightweight theme: Select a well-coded and lightweight theme that doesn’t add unnecessary bloat to your site.
- Optimize images: Compress images without losing quality and use appropriate image formats like WebP.
- Minify and combine CSS and JavaScript files: Reduce the size of CSS and JS files to improve loading times.
- Use a Content Delivery Network (CDN): A CDN can help distribute your website’s content across multiple servers, reducing latency and improving loading times.
- Leverage browser caching: Enable browser caching to store static assets on users’ browsers, reducing server load and improving loading times for returning visitors.
- Monitor page speed regularly: Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTmetrix to monitor your website’s performance and identify areas for improvement.
Specific Considerations for FSE:
- Optimize FSE blocks: Use well-optimized blocks and avoid using too many unnecessary blocks.
- Minimize reliance on JavaScript: Reduce the use of JavaScript in your FSE theme and blocks, as it can impact loading times.
- Test FSE performance: Regularly test your FSE theme and templates for performance and make necessary adjustments.
Tools for Measuring and Improving Page Speed:
- Google PageSpeed Insights: Provides detailed reports on page speed and offers suggestions for improvement.
- GTmetrix: Another popular tool for analyzing page speed and identifying performance bottlenecks.
- WebPageTest: A more advanced tool for testing page speed with various options and configurations.
- No WordPress plugins: Try to use the least amount of plugins possible.
By following these guidelines and staying updated with the latest best practices, you can ensure your WordPress E-Commerce website with FSE delivers optimal page speed and user experience in 2025.
