Building a Lightweight Site for Better Optimization and PSI Scores

Optimization plugins like WP-Rocket, NitroPack, and Ultimate Cache can significantly improve site performance, but they cannot fix everything automatically. If a site is overloaded with heavy layouts, third-party widgets, and unnecessary resources, even the best plugin will struggle to deliver high PageSpeed Insights (PSI) scores.

This guide explains what site admins and developers must do manually to keep a site lean and performance-friendly. By reducing complexity and external dependencies, you will make it easier for optimization plugins to work effectively and improve Core Web Vitals consistently.

• Better Core Web Vitals: Above-the-fold content directly affects Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS), key factors in search rankings and user experience.

• Fewer Main-Thread Blockages: Heavy scripts and oversized assets block the browser’s main thread, delaying page rendering and lowering metrics like First Contentful Paint (FCP) and LCP.

• Mobile-First Performance: PSI simulates slow mobile networks and low-powered devices, so heavy pages perform even worse under test conditions.

Scenario: The hero area (first visible section) contains large background images or videos, animated decorative wave dividers or shapes, buttons using background images, sliders, or multiple interactive elements.

Why It’s a Problem:

• Delays LCP as this content must load completely before the page looks ready.

• Mobile devices are impacted more since PSI tests simulate slow connections and low-power processors.

• Reusing the same large desktop image for mobile wastes bandwidth and slows rendering.

Solutions:

• Use one static, optimized image instead of sliders or videos.

• Keep background images under 150 KB for desktop and under 100 KB for mobile.

• If using a page builder, set separate smaller images for mobile instead of scaling down the desktop image.

• Replace image-based buttons with CSS-based buttons.

• Avoid decorative wave dividers and unnecessary above-the-fold animations.

Scenario: The site loads multiple font families, several icon packs like Font Awesome and Elementor icons, and large blocks of text in the hero area.

Why It’s a Problem:

• Each extra font and icon pack adds multiple HTTP requests, slowing rendering.

• The browser must download and process fonts before displaying text, delaying LCP.

• Large amounts of text increase processing time and clutter the first view.

Solutions:

• Use one font family only and limit the number of weights/styles.

• Stick to one icon set and remove duplicates.

• Keep above-the-fold text short and focused.

• Use smaller font sizes on mobile for readability and faster rendering.

Scenario: The homepage includes multiple third-party elements such as interactive map widgets, third-party forms like GHL and HubSpot, live chat widgets, accessibility widgets, review widgets, and tracking scripts like Google Analytics or Tag Manager.

Why It’s a Problem:

• These scripts block the browser’s main thread, slowing down parsing and rendering.

• Some third-party scripts load additional external resources, creating a chaining effect that compounds delays.

• Even if your hosting server is fast, your performance depends on external servers responding quickly, which is out of your control.

Solutions:

• Remove unnecessary third-party tools. Each additional widget adds complexity and slows performance.

• Move non-critical widgets like maps and reviews to inner pages instead of loading them on the homepage.

• Place forms below the fold or load them only after interaction using a static placeholder.

• For chat widgets, load just the icon initially and load the full chat box after a user click.

• Limit tracking tools to what is truly necessary, one analytics tool is usually enough.

Scenario: Developers sometimes add unnecessary complexity to the first view of the page, such as two completely separate headers for desktop and mobile, stacked sections with multiple widgets or animations, and heavy third-party add-ons used for simple features that could be coded directly.

Why It’s a Problem:

• Extra HTML and CSS increase the DOM size, slowing down browser rendering.

• Duplicate headers double the amount of content being loaded.

• Third-party add-ons often include extra CSS and JavaScript, adding bloat and blocking optimization plugins.

Solutions:

• Use one responsive header that works for both mobile and desktop.

• Keep the hero area clean and focused with just a headline, one hero image, and a clear call-to-action.

• Minimize third-party add-ons for simple features like buttons or sliders. If you can code it directly, do so instead of adding a plugin.

• Test site speed with and without the add-on to see if it is hurting performance.

• Show only essential products or images above the fold and lazy-load the rest further down the page.

• Regularly clear both builder cache and optimization plugin cache after site changes.

Scenario: Images are uploaded at full original size rather than resized for their display area.

Why It’s a Problem:

• Oversized images increase network payload, memory usage, and decoding time.

• Significantly lowers PSI metrics like LCP and Speed Index.

Solutions:

• Resize images to exact display size. Example: If a container is 300px wide, upload a 300px-wide image, not 2000px.

• Convert images to WebP format for better compression.

• Audit homepage images regularly and replace heavy files with optimized versions.

Scenario: A homepage with too many sections, widgets, and media assets loads slowly and becomes difficult for optimization plugins to process.

Why It’s a Problem:

• The homepage sets the first impression for speed and usability.

• A heavy homepage causes slower scores on PSI and real devices.

Solutions:

• Move non-critical sections to inner pages such as extended testimonials, large galleries, and extra product grids.

• Focus the homepage on just the essentials: Clear branding, simple hero section, key call-to-action.

• Keep the total number of elements as low as possible.

Third-party resources are one of the top causes of low PSI scores because they block rendering and add external network requests you cannot control.

Best practices:

• Keep only the third-party tools that add clear business value.

• Move maps, reviews, and similar widgets to inner pages.

• Limit tracking tools to a single analytics platform when possible.

• Regularly audit your site for unused scripts and remove them.

• Build lightweight from the start. Avoid unnecessary elements and keep above-the-fold layouts simple.

• Prioritize mobile. Use smaller images, fewer fonts, and minimal elements for mobile users.

• Test changes regularly. After updates, run PSI tests and check site functionality on real devices.

• Work with your optimization plugin. Give the plugin clean, lightweight code to work with so it can deliver the best results.

• Audit third-party scripts often. Remove or replace tools that negatively affect performance.

• Optimization plugins enhance performance, but cannot fix structural problems caused by design decisions.

• The first view of your site should be fast, minimal, and easy to render.

• Limit third-party widgets, optimize images, and keep layouts simple.

• A lightweight, mobile-friendly homepage is the foundation for strong PSI scores and a better user experience.