25 Website Speed Optimization Checklist — free resource from DollarWise

1. Compress every image before upload — aim for under 200 KB per image
2. Serve images in modern formats (WebP or AVIF) with a fallback
3. Resize images to the exact display size instead of uploading huge originals
4. Lazy-load images and videos below the fold
5. Remove unused images and media from your media library
6. Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files
7. Combine CSS and JavaScript files where your platform allows it
8. Remove unused plugins, themes, and third-party scripts
9. Defer non-critical JavaScript so it loads after the main content
10. Enable browser caching with sensible expiry times
11. Enable GZIP or Brotli compression on your server
12. Use a content delivery network (CDN) for static assets
13. Choose a hosting plan with fast server response times (TTFB under 600 ms)
14. Keep your CMS, theme, and plugins updated to their latest versions
15. Use a lightweight theme — avoid page builders that bloat every page
16. Limit fonts: use two families at most, and only the weights you need
17. Preload your most important font and hero image
18. Reduce redirects — every redirect adds a round trip
19. Fix broken links and remove redirect chains
20. Keep the total page weight under 2 MB where possible
21. Target Largest Contentful Paint under 2.5 seconds
22. Target Interaction to Next Paint under 200 milliseconds
23. Target Cumulative Layout Shift under 0.1 (reserve space for images and ads)
24. Test on a real mobile device using a 4G connection, not only on desktop
25. Re-test speed monthly and after every major site change