How I sped up my WordPress from 800ms to 30ms for FREE!

#wordpress #cloudflare #webperf #webdev

I was frustrated with my WordPress site's slow response times, until I discovered a WordPress Cache Plugin. And it change everything, at least for me!

The Problem 🐌

My WordPress site was struggling with response times:

Mostly between 200-400ms (acceptable)
Frequent spikes above 1 second
Often hovering around 800ms (disappointing)

The Solution ⚡

After one night of testing, I achieved incredible results using Cloudflare

Super Page Cache WordPress plugin:
- Before: 200-800ms+ response times
- After: Consistent 30-200ms response times
- Performance comparable to static websites hosted on S3!

Quick Setup Guide 🚀

Prerequisites

WordPress website
Free Cloudflare account (cloudflare.com)

Step 1: Add Domain to Cloudflare

Log into Cloudflare and add your domain
Select the free plan
Update your domain's nameservers at your registrar
Wait for activation email

Step 2: Fix Common Issues

If you encounter ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS:

Go to SSL/TLS settings in Cloudflare
Change encryption mode from "Flexible" to "Full" or "Full (Strict)"
This prevents redirect loops between Cloudflare and your server

Step 3: Install Super Page Cache Plugin

In WordPress admin → Plugins → Add New
Search for "Super Page Cache"
Install and activate
Click "ENABLE PAGE CACHING NOW"

Important: Disable any other caching plugins first!

Step 4: Connect to Cloudflare

Get your Cloudflare API key:
- Profile → API Tokens → View Global API Key
In Super Page Cache settings:
- Go to "Cloudflare (CDN & Edge Caching)"
- Enter your Cloudflare email and API key
- Select your domain
- Click "Continue"

Step 5: Verify Setup

Click "TEST CACHE" in the plugin settings. You should see: