How To Reduce HTTP Request For WordPress In 9 Simple Ways

 

HTTPS Requests in WordPress

In today’s fast-paced digital world, website speed is no longer optional—it’s a ranking factor, a user experience priority, and a conversion booster. WordPress powers over 40% of the web, making it one of the most popular platforms for bloggers, entrepreneurs, and businesses. But while it’s flexible and beginner-friendly, one hidden issue that often slows websites down is excessive HTTP requests.

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Each time your site loads, the browser sends a request for every file—images, CSS, JavaScript, fonts, icons, etc. The more requests, the slower your site becomes. In 2025, with Google’s Core Web Vitals and Page Experience signals driving SEO rankings, reducing HTTP requests is critical for both performance and visibility.

Here are 9 updated strategies to reduce HTTP requests in WordPress and keep your site lightning-fast:

1. Clean Out Unnecessary Media and Plugins

Unused images, plugins, and scripts continue to generate background requests. In 2025, tools like Media Cleaner or WP-Optimize make it easier to bulk-remove orphaned files.

  • Delete unused plugins and themes.

  • Remove stock images, old media, and unused videos.

  • Audit your plugin list—replace multiple plugins with all-in-one performance plugins like Perfmatters or WP Rocket.

2. Optimize and Compress Images with Next-Gen Formats

Large image files remain the biggest culprit for bloated requests. Before uploading:

  • Use modern image formats like WebP or AVIF (now widely supported).

  • Compress with tools like ShortPixel, Imagify, or TinyPNG.

  • Implement adaptive image delivery with a CDN like Cloudflare Images.

👉 By 2025, Google strongly recommends AVIF for its superior compression.

3. Enable Lazy Loading for Images, Videos, and iFrames

Lazy loading ensures assets are loaded only when users scroll to them.

  • WordPress has native lazy loading since 5.5, but use plugins like a3 Lazy Load for advanced control.

  • Apply lazy loading to YouTube embeds and social media iframes.

  • Replace heavy embeds with preview thumbnails (click-to-load videos).

4. Combine and Minify CSS & JavaScript

Each CSS and JS file adds an extra request.

  • Use plugins like Autoptimize or Asset CleanUp to merge and minify.

  • In 2025, HTTP/3 makes combining less critical, but minification (removing whitespace, comments, unused code) still reduces payload.

  • Remove unused CSS with tools like PurgeCSS or WP Rocket’s Remove Unused CSS feature.

5. Load Assets Only Where Needed

Instead of loading all scripts on every page, restrict them.

  • Use Asset CleanUp or Perfmatters to disable scripts on pages where they aren’t required (e.g., contact form scripts only on the contact page).

  • Block third-party widgets that slow down load times (chatbots, social feeds).

  • Consider replacing external libraries (like Font Awesome) with system fonts or SVGs.

6. Optimize Your Database Regularly

Over time, databases get cluttered with revisions, transients, and spam comments.

  • Use WP-Optimize or Advanced Database Cleaner to automate cleanups.

  • Limit post revisions in wp-config.php.

  • Consider MariaDB or MySQL 8.0 hosting for faster query performance.

7. Minify HTML and Source Code

Your site’s source code often has unnecessary spaces, comments, or duplicate lines.

  • Use caching plugins like LiteSpeed Cache or W3 Total Cache to minify HTML, CSS, and JS.

  • Remove inline CSS/JS where possible.

  • Adopt critical CSS rendering to load only essential styles first.

8. Choose a Lightweight, Performance-Optimized Theme

Themes play a huge role in site speed. Avoid bloated themes packed with heavy animations and features.

  • Recommended lightweight themes in 2025: GeneratePress, Blocksy, Astra, Kadence.

  • Use theme builders cautiously—some drag-and-drop builders add unnecessary requests.

  • Test your theme with GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights before finalizing.

9. Split Heavy Posts or Use Infinite Scroll

Large blog posts with multiple images, embeds, and scripts can overwhelm browsers.

  • Break long-form posts into multiple pages.

  • Or implement infinite scroll with lazy loading to balance performance with UX.

Bonus 2025 Pro-Tips

  • Use a CDN (Content Delivery Network): Cloudflare, BunnyCDN, or StackPath reduce latency and HTTP requests globally.

  • Host Fonts Locally: Instead of Google Fonts (extra request), self-host system fonts or preload fonts.

  • HTTP/3 + QUIC Protocols: Ensure your hosting supports the latest protocols for faster request handling.

Final Thoughts

Reducing HTTP requests in WordPress isn’t about cutting design or functionality—it’s about smart optimization. By adopting modern formats (WebP/AVIF), leveraging lazy loading, and cleaning up unused assets, you’ll not only speed up your site but also improve SEO rankings, user retention, and conversions in 2025’s competitive digital landscape.

Content Partner - Webomaze


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