Days like Black Friday are among the busiest shopping events of the year, and preparing your website to handle high traffic and deliver peak performance is essential. This website optimization guide for Black Friday provides a comprehensive checklist and best practices for preparing your websites for high-traffic events.
Database Optimization
A well-optimized and performant database is crucial, especially during high-traffic events like Black Friday. The Servebolt Optimizer plugin simplifies database cleanup and optimization, making it easy to prepare your site.
Analyse and Optimize With Servebolt Optimizer
- Clean up transient data, post revisions, and orphaned metadata.
- Optimize database tables with a single click to ensure efficient indexing and reduced table size.
Identify and Address Slow Queries
- Use tools like WP Profile & WP Doctor or Query Monitor to pinpoint slow database queries.
- Ensure queries use proper indexing to improve performance and reduce load times.
Minimize Query Count
- Monitor the number of queries executed per page load using tools like Query Monitor.
- Eliminate redundant or unnecessary queries to prevent bottlenecks during peak traffic.
Optimizing Your Setup with the Admin Panel
A well-configured backend ensures stability during high-traffic events like Black Friday. Below are pointers on optimizing your backend, including using tools like the Servebolt Admin Panel.
Cache Settings
Review your Environments’ Cache settings, ensuring they are set up according to their respective caching solution.
- If your website uses Accelerated Domains, Servebolt CDN, or a third-party solution like Cloudflare, select the “Disabled” option to avoid conflicts between caching layers.
- If no external caching solution is implemented, consider enabling “Headers and dynamic caching” to cache static assets and PHP pages effectively.
Optimize Your Environment Settings
- Ensure Development Mode is disabled on production environments to prevent unnecessary logging.
- Set the PHP Memory Limit as low as possible while ensuring the site functions correctly to enhance scalability.
- Disable PHP modules you know your environments aren’t using.
Monitor and Manage Logs
- If your Bolt runs on Servebolt Linux 8, you’ll have access to PHP SlowLogs. These logs contain detailed information about script executions, helping developers pinpoint performance issues.
- Analyse logs to identify amplification issues and resolve errors like 403, 500, and 503.
- Fix recurring 404 errors to prevent unnecessary load on single requests.
- Address PHP errors promptly to keep the ErrorLog clean.
- Disable debug logging in production and resolve application-specific warnings, such as those from WordPress or Magento.
Efficient Cron Job Management
- Avoid overlapping or overly frequent cron jobs, which can overwhelm server resources.
- Use server-based cron jobs instead of web-based triggers for better reliability and performance.
Frontend Optimization
Optimizing the frontend is crucial for delivering a fast and smooth user experience during high-traffic events. You’d be surprised how many assets are loaded unnecessarily. A streamlined frontend reduces load times and ensures scalability.
Asset Optimization
Compress and minify CSS, JavaScript, and images to reduce file sizes and improve loading speed. Implement lazy loading for images and videos to prioritize critical content and enhance the user experience.
Dynamic requests
Monitor and minimize Dynamic Requests, especially POST requests to AJAX endpoints, which can add unnecessary strain on the server. Use browser developer tools to analyze network activity and identify problematic requests.
Plugin Performance
Review active plugins and ensure none are causing performance issues. Refer to our list of disallowed and non-recommended plugins to identify potential bottlenecks.
Updates and Maintenance
Keep themes, plugins, and the WordPress core updated to the latest versions. Limit the number of installed themes to one.
Performance Testing
Testing your site’s performance ensures it is ready to handle the demands of high-traffic events like Black Friday. Regular testing helps identify and address bottlenecks before they impact users.
Time to First Byte (TTFB)
Use browser developer tools to measure the TTFB on critical pages, such as the homepage and cart. Aim for a TTFB under 200ms to ensure a responsive user experience. Test both cached and uncached scenarios to validate performance.
Usability Testing
Manually navigate your site to spot slow-loading pages, broken elements, or user experience issues. Ensure that core functionalities, like the checkout process, are fast and error-free.
Final Steps for Black Friday Success
Optimizing every layer of your site—from the database to the frontend—ensures stability and performance. Regular performance testing and proactive adjustments will prepare you for big events.
For environments leveraging solutions like Accelerated Domains or Servebolt CDN, built-in caching and delivery optimizations provide an additional edge, reducing strain and enhancing scalability. Combined with the steps in this guide, these tools help your site deliver a seamless experience when it matters most.
