Last updated on July 23, 2020
If you are on Siteground Hosting, it is recommended to use SG Optimizer plugin on your WordPress. It optimizes your website in 3 aspects
- SuperCaching
- Environmental Optimization – Forced https, and managed PHP version.
- Frontend Optimization – minifying files mostly reduce the number of requests to the server.
- Media Optimization – optimize images, serving WebP format, lazy load..
All the above intends to make your webpage loads faster for your users. There is possibly no other plugin that delivers all the above all-in-one. Just download it on your WordPress plugin installer.
How to use SG Optimizer plugin?
Keep default settings and enable Memcached
Unless you do not want this function or you know that your website has not much queries to your database, it is recommended to just use this feature.
You will need to enable it on your Sitetool, before you can enable it at the plugin settings.
Next to your SG Optimizer plugin, to enable Memcached.
Force HTTPS and select Managed PHP version
Use “Fix Insecure Content” if some pages or files are still loading as non-secure on browser. No harm to use it directly too.
Enable all minify functions
Enable Media Optimization and Generate Bulk WebP files
Personally, I prefer not to use lazy load images, as I find it annoying that images load on when user browses to the particular section. I would use lazy load for video to preview image instead of loading the actual video until user plays it.
That’s it! You have optimize your website to most of it.
Read on if you are existingly using plugins with similar functions above.
SG optimizer vs WP Rocket
In short, if you are planning to or are hosting with Siteground, it is recommended to use SG Optimizer plugin only, for all the above functions. The idea is not to have overlap, as it will be harmful to performance.
Unless, you want to constantly and regularly monitor if there’s any compatibility issues as and when both competiting providers updates their plugins. I would rather focus on building content and the business.
Plus, WP Rocket is a paid plugin starting from $49 for 1 website and $99 for 3 websites. If you are already using this plugin, or other similar ones like W3 Cacher, or WP Super Cacher, try to avoid overlap of features.
To keep it simple, just use either one.
Yes, there are reviews that WP Rocket performs better on scores compared to SG Optimizer in terms of minifying and image optimization. And SG Optimizer is best with its Supercacher, so some would do a little bit of mix and match. It is up to you.
Do not fall into Analysis Paralysis
Quite frankly the scores on Google PageSpeed, Pingdom, and GT Metrix are just merely scores, and not consistently reliable (at least not in large margin of difference). It’s just like school report card.
Nonetheless, after using Siteground hosting, all 6 of my websites performed much better on scores and optically!
I would suggest to access your page loading speed optically :-), and move on from getting caught with analysis paralysis! (don’t say I never warn you haha)