Do you want to enable GZIP compression in WordPress? GZIP compression makes your website faster by compressing the data and delivering it to the user’s browsers much quicker.
A faster website improves user experience and brings in more sales and conversions for your business.
In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to enable GZIP compression in WordPress easily.
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What is GZIP Compression in WordPress?
GZIP compression is a technology that compresses data files before it is sent to users’ browsers. This reduces the file download time which makes your website faster.
Once the compressed data arrives, all modern browsers automatically unzip the compressed files and display them. GZIP compression doesn’t change how your website looks or functions.
It just makes your website load faster. GZIP is supported by all popular web browsers, server software, and best managed WordPress hosting providers.
How does GZIP compression work?
Gzip compression in WordPress uses compression algorithms that work on website files like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and more. When a user requests a page from your website, the algorithm returns the output in a compressed format.
Depending on data size, the GZIP compression can reduce file sizes by up to 70%.
This is why most website speed test tools like Google Pagespeed Insights highly recommend enabling gzip compression. These tools will also show a warning if gzip compression is not enabled on your website.
Note: By default, Gzip compression does not compress images or videos. For that, you’ll need to optimize images for the web on your WordPress site.
Why You Need to Enable GZIP Compression in WordPress?
Plain raw data takes longer to download which affects your page load speed. If several users arrive at the same time, then it will further slow down your WordPress website.
Using GZIP compression allows you to efficiently transfer data, boost page load times, and reduce the load on your website hosting. It is an essential step in improving your website speed and performance.
We have some of the best WordPress performance optimization plugins to recommend that will make the job as easy as baking a pie.
In some cases, you may even have GZIP already enabled by your managed WordPress hosting company.
The Benefits of GZIP Compression: Why Agencies Should Care
GZIP compression is a game-changer in this context, offering significant advantages for website performance and client satisfaction. Here’s why enabling GZIP compression is essential for agencies:
Faster Website Load Times
GZIP compression reduces the size of files like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript by up to 70%. This means websites load much faster, even for users with slower internet connections. For agencies, this ensures their clients’ websites deliver a seamless browsing experience, leading to higher user engagement and reduced bounce rates.
Improved SEO Rankings
Search engines like Google prioritize fast-loading websites in their ranking algorithms. Enabling GZIP compression boosts site speed, giving your clients’ websites a competitive edge in search engine rankings—a key selling point for agencies looking to showcase measurable results.
Optimized Bandwidth Usage
By minimizing the amount of data transferred between the server and the browser, GZIP compression reduces bandwidth usage. This is especially beneficial for agencies managing high-traffic websites or clients on limited hosting plans, as it keeps hosting costs in check while maintaining optimal performance.
Better Client Satisfaction
Clients expect their websites to perform well under all conditions. Implementing GZIP compression ensures a smooth and fast experience for end-users, reflecting positively on your agency’s expertise.
A fast, efficient site not only retains visitors but also builds trust and credibility for your clients’ businesses.
Scalability for Multiple Sites
Agencies often juggle multiple client sites simultaneously. Using plugins to enable GZIP compression simplifies the process, allowing teams to apply compression across multiple sites with minimal effort.
This scalability is a time-saver, letting developers focus on design and strategy rather than manual optimization.
Cost-Efficiency in Hosting
For agencies managing numerous client websites, optimized file sizes mean lower server resource usage. This translates into cost savings on managed WordPress hosting, allowing you to allocate resources elsewhere while ensuring superior website performance.
Enhanced Mobile Experience
With a growing number of users accessing websites via mobile devices, enabling GZIP compression is crucial. Compressed files load quickly even on mobile networks, ensuring a stellar experience for users on the go—a factor increasingly important in today’s mobile-first world.
How To Check that GZIP Compression is Enabled on Your Website
Enabling GZIP compression is a critical step in optimizing website performance. However, it’s equally important to confirm that the compression is working as expected. Here’s a step-by-step guide to checking if GZIP compression is enabled on your site:
Use Online GZIP Compression Test Tools
Several online tools can quickly analyze your website and confirm whether GZIP compression is active:
- GZIP Compression Test by GiftOfSpeed
- Check GZIP Compression by Varvy
- Website Speed Test by Pingdom
Simply enter your website URL into one of these tools, and it will provide a report showing whether your files are being compressed.
Inspect Your Website’s HTTP Headers
You can manually check if GZIP compression is enabled by inspecting the HTTP headers of your website. Here’s how:
- Open your website in a browser (like Chrome or Firefox).
- Right-click anywhere on the page and select Inspect or press Ctrl + Shift + I (Windows) or Cmd + Option + I (Mac).
- Go to the Network tab and reload the page.
- Click on any resource (like HTML or CSS files) and look for the Content-Encoding header. If it says gzip, compression is enabled.
Use Browser Developer Tools
Browser tools like Chrome DevTools can help you verify GZIP compression:
- Open your site and access DevTools (same steps as above).
- Under the Network tab, look for file sizes. If the “Size” column shows a smaller compressed size compared to the “Transferred” column, GZIP is working.
Command Line Verification
For tech-savvy users or developers, you can check GZIP compression directly from the command line:
Use curl to fetch the headers of your site:
curl -I -H “Accept-Encoding: gzip” https://yourwebsite.com
- If GZIP compression is enabled, you’ll see Content-Encoding: gzip in the output.
Test with GTmetrix or Google PageSpeed Insights
These popular performance testing tools not only analyze site speed but also indicate whether GZIP compression is enabled. They’ll flag uncompressed files and provide suggestions to activate compression if needed.
Check with Hosting Providers or Plugins
If you’re using a WordPress plugin or managed hosting service to enable GZIP compression, you can often find a status indicator in their settings dashboard. Many plugins include a built-in testing tool to confirm compression.
By regularly checking and confirming that GZIP compression is active on your website, you ensure that your files are optimized for speed, improving user experience and SEO rankings.
How to Enable GZIP Compression in WordPress
Activating GZIP compression in WordPress is an effective way to enhance your site’s performance by reducing file sizes and improving load times.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to enable GZIP compression:
Enable GZIP Compression via WordPress Plugins
The easiest and most beginner-friendly method is by using a plugin.
Step 1: Install a performance optimization plugin
Step 2: Navigate to the plugin’s Settings page after activation.
Step 3: Look for an option to enable GZIP compression (often found under “Performance” or “Optimization” settings).
Step 4: Toggle the option on and save your changes.
Why This Works: Plugins automatically update your .htaccess file to include the necessary GZIP configuration.
Enable GZIP Compression via .htaccess File (For Apache Servers)
For those comfortable with editing files, you can enable GZIP compression manually.
Step 1: Access your site via FTP or the hosting control panel.
Step 2: Locate the .htaccess file in your WordPress root directory.
Step 3: Add the following code:
<IfModule mod_deflate.c>
AddOutputFilterByType DEFLATE text/html text/plain text/xml text/css text/javascript application/javascript application/x-javascript application/xml application/xml+rss application/json
</IfModule>
Step 4: Save the file and check your website to ensure it’s still functioning correctly.
Why This Works: The added directives instruct the server to compress the specified file types using GZIP compression.
Enable GZIP Compression via Hosting Control Panel
Some hosting providers offer built-in tools to enable GZIP compression.
Step 1: Log in to your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel or Plesk).
Step 2: Look for an option like Optimize Website or Performance Settings.
Step 3: Enable GZIP compression for all content or specific file types.
Step 4: Save the settings and test your site to confirm compression is active.
Why This Works: Hosting control panels streamline server-side configurations for non-technical users.
One way to take this a step further is to prefer managed WordPress hosting will take care of GZIP compression while you focus on your agency’s growth.
Use NGINX Server Configuration
If your website runs on an NGINX server, you’ll need to modify its configuration file.
Step 1: Open the NGINX configuration file (usually found in /etc/nginx/nginx.conf).
Step 2: Add the following code under the http block:
gzip on;
gzip_types text/plain text/css application/json application/javascript text/xml application/xml application/xml+rss text/javascript;
gzip_min_length 256;
gzip_vary on;
gzip_proxied any;
Step 3: Save the file and restart NGINX to apply changes.
Why This Works: This method leverages NGINX’s built-in GZIP module for efficient compression.
GZIP Compression: An Effortless Boost for Your Website
When it comes to improving website performance, speed isn’t just a luxury—it’s an expectation. Enabling GZIP compression is a straightforward, cost-free way to significantly enhance your site’s load times, creating a better experience for visitors. It’s not just about faster pages; it’s about reducing bounce rates, boosting engagement, and converting casual visitors into loyal customers.
By compressing your site’s files, you’re streamlining the user experience and giving your audience exactly what they demand: speed and efficiency. While GZIP compression is a powerful step, it’s just one piece of the optimization puzzle.
Looking for more ways to turbocharge your site? Stay tuned and keep visiting our blog section.
FAQs
What is GZIP compression?
GZIP compression is a method used to reduce the size of website files such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript by compressing them. This process significantly improves page load speeds and optimizes website performance, providing a better user experience.
How does GZIP compression work?
GZIP compression works by identifying and eliminating redundant patterns within files. The server compresses these files into smaller sizes before transmitting them to the browser, which then decompresses them for display. This reduces bandwidth usage and accelerates page load times.
Which of the following commands supports both GZIP and BZIP2 compression?
The tar command supports both GZIP and BZIP2 compression. By using flags like -z for GZIP and -j for BZIP2, you can compress or decompress files efficiently.
If no level of compression is specified, the GZIP command assumes what compression level?
If no compression level is specified, the GZIP command defaults to level 6. This provides a good balance between compression speed and efficiency.
Which value, when used with GZIP, provides the highest compression but is the slowest?
Using the compression level 9 with GZIP provides the highest compression but at the cost of slower performance. This level is ideal for scenarios where achieving the smallest file size is more important than compression speed.