Server response time is the pilot of the whole site’s speed. If you encounter slow server response on GoDaddy hosting, then it is not only going to slug your site but also heavily impact your property in serp.
as it is now a ranking factor on Google. So if you want to be rewarded, your server’s response should be as quick as an F1 car.
In this post, we are going to learn how to speed up server responses. Before starting speed optimization, knowing the definition of server response time would be helpful. You will be able to see the problem from an avast perspective
Table of Contents
What is Server Response Time
When a user tries to access your website, how much time does the server take to deliver the first byte, which is called TTFB. Typically, you can say it first server response.
Basically, when a user makes a request, a DNS lookup starts. After establishing a connection, SSL activates, through which data is sent.
If the server gets engaged, the user has to wait, and it turns out to be a blank screen for some ms or seconds. Finally, the user’s browser receives the first byte. Afterwards, some text or images start to appear on the screen. It is called First Paint, and it becomes FCP and LCP.
Arguably, TTFB is like a bullet train engine. How quickly it can reach a destination totally depends on how fast it starts.
Seeing its utmost importance, Moz called it a ranking factor.
Google suggests that it should be under 200 ms, ideally. At least under 500 ms, otherwise Google can punish your site.
Now check your TTFB at the KeyCDN tool and figure out the actual speed status at 14 major locations.
Speed UP GoDaddy Server Response Time
1.High CPU Usage
If CPU usage crosses 80% of its limit, clean your trash from your WordPress database by using the WP optimize plugin. Install the bot protection plugin to eliminate unwanted bot traffic. Sometimes, bots consume more resources than real visitors.
If it doesn’t get fixed, you need to upgrade your processor.
2.Avoid Heavy Plugins
Don’t use heavy plugins and themes. These not only bottleneck RAM and CPU but also cause conflicts with other plugins.
Install the Code Profiler plugin and find out which plugin is taking too much time. It is a bottleneck.
Release unnecessary pressure on your server by replacing lightweight alternatives.
Learn how to effectively find lightweight plugins –
- Install WP Hive chrome extension, go to WordPress.org/plugins,
- search for any plugins. If minimal impact on memory usage
- is shining red, avoid it. Find green only.
By the way, you can use following lightweight plugins –
- SEO – RankMath
- Speed Optimization – Perfmatter
- Caching – LS cache / FlyingPress
- Social Sharing – Sassy Social Sharer
- Webp Version – Webp Express
3.Avoid Free Theme
Getting the best plugins at no cost is possible, but the best themes are not available for free because thousands of hours are required to invest in creating a theme.
So if you find a free one, that is only part of an experiment and skill test. If some users use the theme and get the end result, it fulfills the theme developer’s purpose, such as showing the project in order to build a strong CV to impress a future boss.
Afterwards, the developer doesn’t find motivation to provide security and speed updates. By the time themes’ PHP and jQuery get outdated.
These imply slow php processing, high CPU usage, conflict with other plugins, big security hole with a love letter to a hacker and slow speed with #RIP_Rankings.
The best solution is the mere 935 KB weighted Generatepress theme, which sample page size is a tiny 14.5 KB and gets fully loaded in an impressive 400–500 ms.
The theme’s default version is very simple, but it is highly customizable and has many features.
You can easily mold it as per your preference. Even though it won’t impact its super-fast loading speed.
Why?
Because the theme stores the codes of every feature into different sections, that’s why the code of the feature that you are using while loading the theme is loaded, not the code of other features. The CPU and RAM get slightly loaded. The theme loads super fast.
4.Don’t Combine CSS & JS
How much would it be hard to chew a burger of four to five slices at a time? Combining CSS and JS does the same thing for your server.
Don’t combine CSS and JS requests. Let them load alone. By the way, the new Apache server uses the HTTP/2 protocol, which is able to transmit multiple responses at the same time.
Yes, you can minify and inline your CSS. It cleans up white space and dramatically improves FCP.
5.Disable WordPress Heartbeat
This feature shows plugin notifications and does auto-draft. It invokes it frequently, which leads to regular RAM consumption. On shared hosting, the situation gets severely worse. So control it through Perfmatters.
6.Use CF DNS or Premium DNS
Free DNS is cluttered with a lot of domains and runs on overloads. Its situation is not different from shared hosting. So either use premium DNS or Cloudflare’s DNS service, which is one of the fastest.
7. Cache Everything in Cloudflare
Setting up a proxy server is not only a better idea for decreasing load on the origin server but also acts as a safeguard against cyberattacks.
Set the two-page rules
But it is recommended for only static websites, for dynamic websites, use Cloudflare Enterprise, which is freely available at Rocket.
8.Upgrade PHP 8.0
Due to compatibility issues, GoDaddy doesn’t update itself to the latest version. You should update it to unlock a new level of performance and security. But don’t forget to take backups before switching to a new PHP.
9.Use a Strong Cache Plugin
Caching PHP processes and MySQL queries always make the server twice as powerful and blaze up server responses. Since GoDaddy uses Apache Server, Flying Press is the best suitable cache plugin.
10.Level Up Memory Limit
If you use heavy plugins such as PageBuilder, Jetpack, or WooCommerce, increase the memory limit from 128 MB to 256 MB. Simply paste the line in wp-config.php before the “Happy blogging” line.
define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);
It is recommended only when your plan has 1 GB of RAM. GoDaddy’s starter plans come with only 256-500 MB of RAM. So upgrade your plan.
11.Stop Auto-Schedule Jobs
Avoid doing cron jobs such as auto-backup, auto-database cleanup, and auto-post publishing. It calls processes frequently, runs in the background, and creates extra load on the server. So if you are on shared hosting, do the stuff manually.
12.Avoid Stangnet GoDaddy and Choose Better Host
Famous Forbes advises webmasters to avoid GoDaddy, and iTheme calls them poor, overcrowded hosts and upselling diggers.
Regularly, they confront massive cyberattacks which implies how much poor infrastructure GoDaddy relies on.
That’s why many independent Facebook groups are flooded with complaints of super slowness, server errors, and security holes from GoDaddy users.
Choose Rocket.net, which is really super fast-managed WordPress hosting. Internet marketing’s trailblazers like Mediavine, WPbeginner, Adthrive, and WPlift are using it. 4.9/5 is its traffic rating on Trustpilot.
Why?
They come with pre-configured speed optimization settings, so you can instantly boost your speed by 300% by just hosting your property on them.
Cloudflare Enterprise ensure ~100 ms TTFB over their premium 285 pop-ups with dynamic full-page caching and Argo routing.
Their Mirage and Polish features also do amazing image optimization and auto-resizing.
Moreover, the solid combination of Cloudflare Enterprise WAF and Immunify360 makes an unbeatable defense against malware attacks. They also include real-time malware scanning & removal and are 100% PCI-compliant.
With their elegant control panel, you can launch your internet property, manage, clone, stage, back up, and team up effortlessly.
Meanwhile, if you have any queries, you can email, email, or call their 17+ year-experienced support team and get them resolved instantly.
However, they offer a test drive for 30 days at a mere cost of $1 with free unlimited migration.
FAQ
What is server response time?
The time it takes for a server to react to a client request is referred to as server response time. This request could be for a website page, a file, or any other server-hosted resource. One of the most important aspects influencing website loading speed is the server response time.
Why is my website slow on GoDaddy?
If your GoDaddy website is slow, it could be due to a variety of factors, including high traffic, huge files, unoptimized graphics, obsolete plugins or themes, or a delayed server response time. Slow server response time can be caused by a lack of server resources or network congestion.
How can I check the server response time of my GoDaddy website?
There are various online tools that can assist you in determining the server response time of your GoDaddy website. Tools such as GTmetrix, Pingdom, and Google PageSpeed Insights can be used. These tools will provide you with a full report on the loading speed, server response time, and other performance indicators for your website.
How can I make my GoDaddy website’s server response time faster?
You can increase your GoDaddy website’s server response time by optimizing its code and database, lowering the size of your images and files, using a content delivery network (CDN), and upgrading to a higher hosting plan with more resources. You can also contact GoDaddy support to resolve any server-related difficulties.
Should I change hosting providers if my GoDaddy website is slow?
If your GoDaddy website is persistently slow and you have exhausted all available options to improve its performance, you may want to consider moving hosting providers. Before you do so, conduct research and comparisons of various hosting companies based on their performance, features, and pricing. Before switching hosting providers, make a backup of your website’s data.
He is a professional WordPress speed optimizer and web hosting enthusiast with 3 years of experience in optimizing over 100 websites. As a speed optimization expert on Fiverr.com, he has honed his skills in the field and has since shared his strategies with over 1 lakh users annually via his blog, YouTube and social media platforms.