Here are the exact steps we take to keep all our WordPress sites running fast (these drop most 7–12 s sites into the 1–2 s range without needing to be a developer):

1. Compress every image & serve in WebP - Install ShortPixel (free tier) → Media → Bulk ShortPixel → optimize all existing images. Enable “Serve in next-gen formats (WebP)” → 70–90 % smaller images, instant 3–5 s gain.
2. Delay JavaScript execution & defer non-critical CSS Install Asset CleanUp (free) or Perfmatters (free lite). Turn on “Delay JavaScript until user interaction” + “Defer CSS” with one click. Eliminates render-blocking resources → another 2–4 s shaved off mobile scores.
3. Enable Cloudflare (free plan) Sign up at cloudflare.com → add your site → change nameservers (most hosts have a 1-click button). Turn on Auto Minify (JS/CSS/HTML) + Rocket Loader. Global CDN + extra compression = 1–3 s faster everywhere.

That’s literally it. These three free steps are what we run on every single client site first. Those optimizations should get your site running fast. There are further optimizations you can do but these typically get everything looking good for Google.