How I Fixed Core Web Vitals On My WordPress Site in 11 Easy Steps

If you’ve ever spent an entire month fighting with your website speed like it’s a boss battle in a video game… yeah, me too. I spent a lot of my October wrestling with Core Web Vitals — and somehow, miraculously even, I won. My WordPress site is now faster, smoother, and way less dramatic.

So let’s talk about what Core Web Vitals actually are and why they matter as much for SEO as your website structure.

In short, Google doesn’t just care about what you write — it cares about how your site feels to use. These metrics measure how fast your page loads, how quickly it responds when someone taps something, and whether everything remains stable instead of jumping around like a caffeinated squirrel.

And because Google emphasizes mobile-first indexing, these metrics hit even harder on phones and tablets. If your site drags, shifts, or glitches, users bounce… and so will your rankings.

But here’s the good news: once you understand how Core Web Vitals work, you can fix them — and trust me, the results are worth it. Let’s break it all down in a way that won’t melt your brain and will make Google happy.

How to Optimize Core Web Vitals?

I’ve basically been on a full-blown Core Web Vitals optimization marathon: compressing images, swapping out heavy plugins for lighter ones, upgrading to faster hosting, and hunting down every unnecessary JavaScript file as if it personally offended me.

Annoying? Absolutely. Mentally exhausting? Also yes.
But the payoff? Chef’s kiss. My bounce rate dropped, my pages finally load fast like they’ve had their morning coffee, and my lost traffic is slowly crawling back home.

Remember: Since the Page Experience update rolled out in 2021, these metrics have served as tiebreakers. If two sites have equally relevant content, the one with a better user experience will usually prevail.

So now that I’ve done the chaotic trial-and-error part, let’s dive into the practical steps that actually help you ditch those ugly red triangles and turn your Core Web Vitals into a satisfying lineup of green dots.

Related: 20 Best Plugins to Improve SEO Score on WordPress

1. Choose a Fast WordPress Hosting

I’ll start with what’s left as a last option:

If your site still feels slow after you’ve tweaked everything, the real problem is probably your hosting.

Your server is the backbone of your Core Web Vitals. If it’s slow, nothing else you do will matter — and yes, I say that in every post because it’s true.

I learned this the hard way. I finally left DreamHost’s shared hosting (sweet goodbye) and upgraded to DreamPress, their managed WordPress hosting. The difference was instant: faster response times, built-in caching, and modern tech like NGINX and isolated resources.

And just like that, my Core Web Vitals went from “why is everything red?” to “oh hello, green circles and a few orange squares.”

Sometimes the biggest improvement isn’t another plugin — it’s better hosting.

2. Optimize Your Caching Setup

Caching is basically the cheat code your WordPress site has been begging for. Instead of rebuilding every page from scratch each time someone visits, caching serves a ready-to-go version — like handing out pre-baked cookies instead of mixing the ingredients every single time. Faster for you, faster for your visitors, and a big win for LCP.

When I switched to DreamPress, I loved that caching was already baked in. No setup, no extra plugin freak-outs, just… poof — faster pages. If your hosting doesn’t include optimized caching (sadly, many don’t), grab a plugin like WP Rocket. It’s beginner-friendly, powerful, and won’t bully your other plugins the way some aggressive caching setups do.

Just remember: caching is amazing, but it’s not “set it and forget it.” Too much caching can break things, too little won’t help — but when it’s configured right, it’s one of the easiest ways to improve website speed in WordPress and give your Core Web Vitals a very satisfying boost.

3. Optimize Your Plugin Library

Plugins are the soul of WordPress… and sometimes the reason your Core Web Vitals look like they’re begging for help. Some plugins are just heavy by nature (hi ConvertKit, I still love you but you’re not light), so removing them isn’t always an option — which means you have to optimize around them.

Start with a mini plugin audit. Turn off anything you’re not using (you’d be shocked how many “I’ll test this later” plugins sit there doing nothing but eating resources). Then replace the unnecessarily heavy ones. For example, switching CookieYes for Complianz made a noticeable difference for me — same job, way lighter footprint.

If you want to be extra nerdy, run something like Query Monitor to see which plugins are dragging your site down. And remember: it’s not about having fewer plugins, it’s about having smarter ones. A site with 20 lightweight plugins can run way better than a site with 5 bloated monsters.

Clean up your plugin stack and you’ll instantly see improvements across LCP, INP, and even CLS.

3. Minify Your Files & Cut JavaScript Bloat (a.k.a. Stop Your Site From Carrying Emotional Baggage)

CSS and JavaScript are basically the clutter drawers of your WordPress site — every theme and plugin throws more files in there, and before you know it, your browser is like, “I physically cannot carry all this.”

Minifying your CSS/JS (removing all unnecessary fluff, such as spaces and comments) instantly makes those files lighter and faster to load. Many plugins can do this with one click. I tried several of the free ones before committing to a premium one, and it turns out that Autoptimize is GREAT (when properly set up), even if you only use the free features.

Also, some hosts even auto-minify for you, which is a chef’s kiss.

But minifying alone won’t save you if your site is drowning in JavaScript. Too much JS tanks INP (your interactivity score) because the browser is busy doing 19 other things instead of responding to a simple click.

So do a little JS detox:
– Audit your plugins (tools like Asset CleanUp or Perfmatters make this easy)
– Replace heavy ones with lighter options
– Disable scripts on pages that don’t need them

The result? Faster LCP, snappier INP, and a site that actually feels responsive instead of laggy and stressed out. Perfect combo for improving Core Web Vitals without losing your sanity.

4. Optimizing and Properly Handling Your Images Will Save Your WordPress Site

Images are gorgeous… but they can absolutely destroy your Core Web Vitals if you don’t handle them right. Luckily, two tiny tweaks fixed almost all my issues:

1. Set fixed dimensions.
When images or videos load without a defined width/height, the page jumps like crazy (hi, CLS). Add fixed dimensions so the browser saves space before loading—no more shifting text.

2. Make everything responsive.
Use srcset for images and responsive containers for embeds so nothing stretches, breaks, or shifts on different screens.

Bonus tip that saved my LCP:
Disable lazy load only for your first, above-the-fold image (the “featured image”, AKA “the hero image”).
I did this, and my LCP dropped from 2.5s to under 1.9s instantly. Magic.

Also, shout-out to the EWWW Image Optimizer plugin (included in my DreamPress plan!). It handled compression, WebP conversion, and resizing automatically—and honestly solved 90% of my image drama.

Do these, and your images will finally stop sabotaging your metrics (and your sanity).

5. Delay the “Not-So-Important” Scripts

Not everything needs to load first. Chat widgets, social share buttons, and analytics tags can chill for a second while your main content takes the spotlight.
Delaying non-critical scripts = faster LCP + smoother INP, because users can actually start interacting instead of waiting for 20 things to load.

Tools like Flying Scripts or custom deferral do the job — just avoid delaying anything your site needs immediately.
Think of it like serving dinner: entrée now, dessert later.

6. Speed Up Your Site with a CDN (Seriously, Just Use One)

A CDN stores copies of your site around the world so visitors always load from the closest server.

This means:

• Faster LCP
• Lower latency (better INP)
• Happy users everywhere

Cloudflare, BunnyCDN, or your hosting company’s CDN works great. And if your host doesn’t offer one?
Migrate. As I’ve been repeating like a broken record (I’m a millennial, so don’t complain about my old-fashioned analogies). I’m on DreamPress, and it includes built-in CDN options, which are miles faster than bargain hosts.

If you get international traffic, a CDN isn’t “nice to have.” It’s mandatory. Absolutely.

7. Trim Third-Party Scripts (A.K.A. Stop Letting Everyone Track Everything)

Third-party scripts — ad trackers, widgets, extra analytics — are notorious for trashing Core Web Vitals.

Keep only what you actually need.
No, you don’t need five pixels. Probably not even three.

If you use ads, reserve space to avoid CLS explosions.
If you track analytics, keep it lightweight.

Every extra script = extra delay.
Cut ruthlessly.

8. Preload Your Most Important Stuff (Fonts, CSS, Key Images)

Preloading tells the browser:
“Hey, load THIS before anything else.”

This helps:

• Improve LCP
• Prevent font swapping / FOUT / FOIT
• Reduce layout jumps (CLS)

Plugins like Pre*Party Resource Hints or WP Rocket make this easy, or you can add <link rel="preload"> tags manually.

It’s a tiny tweak with a very noticeable “my site suddenly feels premium” effect.

9. Avoid Pop-Ups & Intrusive Ads (Especially on Mobile)

Pop-ups and sticky banners are instant CLS bombs. If you must use them:

• Trigger them after user interaction
• Test them on mobile
• Reserve space where possible

You can still capture emails or monetize — just don’t punish your visitors (or Google rankings) in the process.

10. Load Ads and Iframes Inside Reserved Space Only

Ads and iframes tend to show up late and shove everything downward.
Fix it by reserving their container space ahead of time.

Lazy load them, yes — just don’t let them move the layout.
Tools like Advanced Ads handle this beautifully.

Clean layout + steady CLS + monetization = everyone wins.

11. Optimize for Accessibility

Accessibility on WordPress sites is one of those underrated things that quietly boosts everything: user experience, engagement, time on page, and even how Google sees your site. If visitors can’t read, see, tap, or navigate your site easily, they bounce — and that absolutely works against your CWV improvements.

I like to think of accessibility as “common sense tweaks that make your site easier for real humans.” And the best part? Most of them are simple fixes that take only a few minutes. Here’s a quick list of the main ones I recommend:

• Preload and properly load fonts to avoid FOUT/FOIT and reduce layout shifts. Use WOFF2 and host fonts locally for better LCP and CLS.
• Improve color contrast and readability, especially on mobile. Aim for at least 4.5:1 contrast (tools like WAVE and this Color Contrast Checker make this painless).
• Make buttons and tap targets mobile-friendly — at least 48×48 px with breathing room.
• Add descriptive alt text to images so screen readers (and Google) understand what’s going on.
• Use a clean heading hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3…) so readers — and search engines — can follow the flow.
• Use ARIA roles sparingly, only when they truly enhance navigation.
• Use descriptive link text instead of vague “click here” or “read more.” Helps both accessibility and SEO.
• Allow pinch-to-zoom on mobile by removing restrictive viewport settings (or use the Definitely Allow Mobile Zooming plugin if you don’t want to mess with code).

These tweaks don’t directly change your Core Web Vitals score, but they absolutely support the bigger goal: a site that’s easier to read, navigate, and interact with — which leads to better engagement, lower bounce rates, and happier Google robots.

Regularly Check Your Core Web Vitals (Because They Do Change)

Core Web Vitals reports aren’t a “fix it once and forget it” situation. Real users trigger these metrics, and things can shift fast — new plugins, theme updates, traffic spikes, mobile issues… all of it affects performance.

That’s why Google Search Console is your best friend.
It shows field data, not clean lab scores, so you can actually see how people experience your site.

Check it often so you can catch tiny problems before they turn into ranking issues or angry-user issues.

Conclusion: Core Web Vitals = A Better, Faster, Happier Website

Improving Core Web Vitals isn’t about chasing perfect scores — it’s about creating a site that feels fast, stable, and effortless for every visitor.

When you stack the essentials — great hosting, clean themes, efficient JavaScript, accessibility basics, smart security, and well-optimized media — your site becomes one Google and users actually enjoy.

And yes, 10+ optimizations can feel like a lot, but you don’t need to do them all today.
Start with the easy wins (like fixing images, enabling HTTPS, or cleaning up plugins), then tackle the deeper interactivity and stability improvements.

These changes build on each other, and over time, they skyrocket your SEO, engagement, and conversions.

So don’t treat Core Web Vitals like a checklist — treat them as your blueprint for a smoother, faster, more trustworthy website. One that keeps visitors around and keeps Google happy.

FAQ: How to Improve Core Web Vitals