Website speed
Why is my website slow? Hosting or the website itself?
Key takeaway
A slow website is not always a hosting problem. Delays can begin with the server, the network, large files or code running in the browser. Compare several pages and check where the wait occurs. Lightning Web Hosting assesses the working website before recommending a transfer or rebuild.
In this guide
Notice which part feels slow
Start by describing the experience. A blank page before anything arrives is different from a page that appears quickly but keeps moving. A booking button that pauses after a tap is a third problem. The symptoms help narrow down what to investigate.
Try the same page on a second connection. If the problem only happens on one office network or one device, that is worth knowing before changing the hosting. Also compare the homepage with a simple contact page and a feature-heavy page.
The first response includes more than the server
A speed report may call the first wait “time to first byte”, or TTFB. That includes connection steps and the response beginning to arrive, so it is a useful clue rather than a pure rating of the server hardware. The website’s own processing can contribute too.
Ask the host or developer to investigate a consistently slow response. Useful questions include whether the problem affects every page, whether it changes at busy times, and whether the website is waiting for another service.
Understand the AWS hosting foundation
Sources: Google: understanding server response and time to first byte (opens in a new tab)
A busy page can keep the phone working
The browser still has work to do after files arrive. Scripts, embedded tools and complicated page elements can delay a response to a tap. Sending those files from a faster server does not remove the work they ask the phone to do.
On WordPress, review the purpose of the theme, plugins and connected services rather than counting plugins alone. Keep needed functions, remove unused work carefully, and check the result on a copy before changing the live website.
Compare WordPress and a custom website
Sources: Google: improving response to taps and clicks (opens in a new tab)WordPress: website performance considerations (opens in a new tab)
Match the remedy to the evidence
Large pictures call for better image preparation. Slow response from the hosting setup calls for investigation there. A third-party widget may need a different loading approach or a simpler alternative. Sometimes the right result combines several small changes.
Ask for the same important pages to be checked before and after the work. A single improved homepage score is less useful if the page customers use to book is still difficult. Keep the business journey in the discussion.
Move for a clear reason
If a move is appropriate, we agree what will be transferred, what needs adapting and whether modernisation is the better route. Our AWS hosting includes CloudFront CDN, daily AWS website backups, SSL and platform security in both plans.
Thunder is NZ$55 + GST per website a month. Choose Lightning at NZ$99 + GST if you also want everyday Arc updates. We confirm compatibility and separate work before starting, and hosting billing begins when the website is live with us.