Core Web Vitals & Page Speed

Arun Nagarathanam · 10 Jul 2026 · Guide · 27 of 53 in this course

An exclusive resource for students of Arun's AI SEO Course.

Find Your LCP Bottleneck Using Chrome DevTools Step-by-Step

Google PageSpeed Insights: An online tool from Google that analyzes your site's performance and provides Core Web Vitals scores, including identifying your LCP element. https://pagespeed.web.dev/
Chrome DevTools: A set of web developer tools built directly into the Chrome browser. The "Performance" panel can be used to record a page load and pinpoint the exact LCP element. (Built into the Google Chrome browser)

Online Image Compression Tools:

TinyPNG / TinyJPG: Free web tools that use smart lossy compression to reduce the file size of your PNG and JPG files. https://tinypng.com/
Squoosh: A powerful, browser-based image compression tool that allows for fine-tuned adjustments and conversion to modern formats like WebP. https://squoosh.app/

WordPress Image Optimization Plugins:

Smush: A popular plugin that automatically compresses, resizes, and lazy loads images on your WordPress site. https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-smushit/
ShortPixel: An image optimization plugin that can compress images and convert them to WebP format. https://wordpress.org/plugins/shortpixel-image-optimiser/
Optimole: A cloud-based image optimization service for WordPress that handles compression, resizing, and CDN delivery. https://wordpress.org/plugins/optimole-wp/

Hosting Providers (Mentioned for Speed):

Cloudways: A managed cloud hosting platform known for providing fast server environments. https://www.cloudways.com/

WordPress Caching Plugins:

WP Rocket: A premium all-in-one performance plugin that handles caching, file optimization, and more. https://wp-rocket.me/
W3 Total Cache: A comprehensive free caching plugin with a wide range of settings for performance tuning. https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/

Content Delivery Networks (CDNs):

Cloudflare: A popular service that provides a global CDN, security, and performance features, with a generous free plan. https://www.cloudflare.com/

WordPress Performance Plugins:

WP Rocket: Includes features like "Delay JavaScript Execution" which can be very effective for improving INP. https://wp-rocket.me/
Perfmatters: A lightweight performance plugin that helps disable unnecessary scripts and offers features to delay JavaScript. https://perfmatters.io/

Tools & Applications

WebPageTest.org: A free and advanced tool for measuring web performance from various locations, browsers, and connection speeds. https://www.webpagetest.org/

WordPress Performance Plugins:

WP Rocket: A premium all-in-one solution. https://wp-rocket.me/
Autoptimize: A free plugin focused on aggregating, minifying, and caching scripts and styles. https://wordpress.org/plugins/autoptimize/
WP Super Cache: A free caching plugin from Automattic (the makers of WordPress.com). https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-super-cache/
W3 Total Cache: A free, comprehensive caching and performance framework. https://wordpress.org/plugins/w3-total-cache/

Lightweight WordPress Themes:

GeneratePress: A highly customizable and performance-focused theme. https://generatepress.com/
Kadence: A fast and feature-rich theme known for its flexibility. https://www.kadencewp.com/
Astra: A popular, lightweight theme designed for speed and compatibility with page builders. https://wpastra.com/

Shopify Dawn Theme: Shopify's default theme, built with performance and flexibility as top priorities. (Available in the Shopify Theme Store)

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