Most Australian businesses know their website feels a bit slow, but they are not always ready for a full rebuild. The good news is that you can usually make real improvements without touching your entire site. This guide walks through practical ways to speed things up and improve your Google PageSpeed score using simple changes that make a noticeable difference.
What affects your PageSpeed score
Google looks at a few key things to measure performance:
- How quick your site shows something on screen
- How fast users can interact
- How stable the layout is while loading
- How much data your page loads
- How well your images and scripts are optimised
Most issues come from a few heavy elements that can be cleaned up easily.
Lighten your images
Large images are one of the biggest reasons websites feel slow, especially on mobile or slower regional connections. A few quick wins:
- Compress images using tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh
- Convert images to webp
- Resize images to the actual dimensions you need
- Set width and height attributes
This alone can reduce load times dramatically.
Reduce your plugins or apps
If you are using WordPress or Shopify, plugins and apps can stack up quickly. Many load unnecessary scripts on every page.
- Remove plugins you are not using
- Replace heavy plugins with lighter options
- Disable plugins from loading on pages where they are not needed
- Keep everything updated
Less bloat usually means faster load times.
Clean up your scripts
Too many javascript files slow everything down.
- Remove unused tracking scripts
- Defer or delay non essential scripts
- Load scripts at the bottom of the page where possible
- Avoid loading big libraries for one tiny feature
A simple script clean up can boost your score straight away.
Optimise your caching
Most slow sites don’t have proper caching set up. Make sure you have:
- A caching plugin if you are on WordPress
- Server level caching on your host
- A CDN to serve assets faster across Australia
- Browser caching enabled for static files
These are quick wins that speed things up for both users and Google.
Fix layout shift issues
Layout shift happens when elements move around as the page loads.
- Set image dimensions so they don’t jump
- Avoid injecting elements late like popups or banners
- Use proper spacing in your CSS
Small tweaks can improve your CLS score noticeably.
Tidy up your fonts
Custom fonts look great but can slow you down.
- Use modern formats like woff2
- Reduce the number of font weights
- Host fonts locally if possible
A lighter font setup means a faster first paint.
Check your hosting
Even a well optimised site will struggle on cheap shared hosting. For Australian traffic:
- Choose a host with servers in Australia
- Make sure your plan has enough resources
- Use a CDN for global visitors
A hosting upgrade can make a bigger difference than any plugin.
When you should consider a rebuild
Sometimes a site is too heavy or outdated for quick fixes to be enough. You might need a rebuild if:
- Your theme is old or poorly coded
- You rely on too many plugins
- You keep hitting performance limits
- You want stronger control over speed and SEO
A rebuild should be your last resort.
Final thoughts
You don’t need to rebuild your entire website to improve performance. Small, targeted changes can lift your PageSpeed score, improve SEO, and give your customers a smoother experience.
If you want help improving your site’s speed or want a quick audit to see what can be improved, we are happy to take a look and point you in the right direction.
