Going viral is great. Unless your site faceplants in front of thousands of people because it can’t handle the traffic.

If you’re hosting on a VPS and gearing up for a big traffic event, now’s the time to ask: “Can my server handle this?” The good news is, with the right preparation, the answer can be a confident yes.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to scale your VPS for traffic surges — without panic, guesswork, or praying to the server gods. Let’s dive in.

What Is a VPS (and Why Does It Matter When Traffic Spikes)?

A Virtual Private Server (VPS) is a type of web hosting that gives you dedicated resources on a server shared with other users. Unlike shared hosting, where websites compete for the same resources, a VPS uses virtualization technology to create isolated environments — giving you more control, better performance, and the flexibility to scale your site as needed.

In other words, you get dedicated slices of resources (memory, CPU, storage) that aren’t shared with other sites —as opposed to shared hosting, where your neighbors can hog the server, meaning if one site has a huge spike in traffic, it can slow down everyone else. With a VPS, your site lives in its own isolated “container” with guaranteed resources, so other websites’ traffic surges won’t directly affect you.

Why is this important for scaling? Because while a VPS gives you more control and stability, you still have finite resources allocated to your site.

If your site suddenly needs more CPU or RAM than your plan includes, it can still suffer. But VPS plans are usually very scalable — you can easily add more RAM, CPU, or disk space as your site grows. In other words, a VPS is built to grow with you.

Proactively scaling your VPS before a big traffic event means increasing those resources (and optimizing your setup) ahead of time, so your site stays smooth when the visitors pour in.

It’s kind of like preparing a restaurant for a big dinner rush by adding more tables and staff and prepping ingredients ahead of time. You don’t want to wait until customers are crammed in the lobby to react.

Step-by-Step: How To Scale Your VPS for Traffic Surges

Now, let’s roll up our sleeves and get into why you’re here —this is how you scale your VPS if you anticipate your site will need more of those resources in the near future.

Step 1: Monitor Your Current Traffic and Set a Baseline

You can’t scale what you don’t measure. Start by auditing your current traffic to establish a performance baseline. Use your analytics to review how many visitors you get on a normal day and what your peak traffic looks like. If you use a DreamHost managed hosting plan (including VPS), you can now see built-in traffic analytics on the Traffic Dashboard, seamlessly integrated into the “Manage Websites” section of your customer control panel.

For example, find your average daily visitors and note the times or events when traffic spikes —maybe during past sales or campaigns. Knowing your “normal” versus “busy” traffic levels will help you quantify how big an upcoming surge might be.

Why do this? If you normally have 500 daily users and expect 5,000 during a launch, that’s a 10× jump —a huge strain if you’re unprepared. By identifying patterns (say, traffic doubles every day at 8 p.m., or tends to spike right after you send a newsletter), you can plan server resources for those loads. You want to establish a traffic baseline so you can recognize a true surge and scale accordingly.

Pro tip: Set up real-time analytics or server monitoring now. This will alert you if traffic starts ramping up unexpectedly before the big event.

Step 2: Choose a Flexible VPS Hosting Plan

Next, evaluate your hosting plan. Is your VPS plan flexible enough to handle a spike?

Not all VPS hosts are created equal —you’ll want one that lets you easily dial resources up or down. Check if your provider offers quick upgrades (or even automatic scaling) for CPU, RAM, and bandwidth. The goal is to avoid being stuck on a plan that can’t expand when you need it.

If your current host limits how fast you can scale, consider migrating to one that specializes in scalability (many cloud-based VPS providers allow near-instant resource adjustments). Some VPS hosting plans even have auto-scaling, meaning if traffic increases, the system can allocate more resources on the fly to keep your site stable.

At minimum, make sure you can manually upgrade your VPS plan quickly (within minutes or hours, not days).

Step 3: Allocate Sufficient Resources

Now it’s time to give your VPS those extra lanes of traffic we talked about. Well before the surge hits, allocate more server resources to handle the load. This might mean upgrading your VPS to add RAM, vCPUs (virtual processors), or increasing network bandwidth limits. A smart rule of thumb is to add a healthy buffer on top of your expected needs —roughly 50% extra capacity as a cushion.

For example, if your baseline monitoring from Step 1 suggests you’ll need around 2 GB of RAM to handle normal traffic, consider scaling to ~3 GB RAM for the surge, just to be safe. This margin gives you enough wiggle room to make sure you won’t max out resources if the spike is bigger than predicted.

Pro tip: It’s far better to have a bit too much capacity than to watch your site slow to a crawl or crash because it ran out of RAM.

Step 4: Implement Caching to Reduce Server Strain

Want a quick win for scalability? Enable caching on your site. Caching stores copies of your site’s pages and content so that repeat requests can be served quickly without your VPS doing all the work each time.

In practice, when caching is enabled, the first visitor generates the content (for example, running PHP and database queries for a page) and a static version is saved. Subsequent visitors are then served that pre-built page from the cache, so your server doesn’t have to crank out the same page over and over.

The result: faster load times for users and much less stress on your VPS’s CPU and database.

There are a few types of caching to consider:

• Page caching stores full HTML pages.
• Object or database caching stores frequent query results.
• CDN (Content Delivery Network) caches static files (images, CSS, etc.) on servers around the world.

An easy route to take is installing a caching plugin for WordPress. Your host may also offer built-in caching. By caching content, you avoid overworking your server during high traffic and can handle far more visitors with the same VPS specs.

Pro tip: Using a CDN alongside caching offloads even more traffic from your VPS, since the CDN will serve images and other files to users, leaving your server free to handle the harder tasks.

Step 5: Consider Load Balancing if One Server Isn’t Enough

What if you anticipate a massive surge that one VPS alone can’t handle, even with more resources and caching? It might be time to think beyond a single server. Load balancing is a technique where you use multiple servers to share the traffic load.

Essentially, you put a load balancer in front of your VPS that distributes incoming visitors across two or more servers, preventing any single machine from getting overwhelmed. This setup can drastically increase the amount of traffic you can handle by leveraging multiple VPS instances in tandem.

A load balancer might send half your visitors to “Server A” and half to “Server B” (and even spin up more servers if needed). This not only increases capacity but also adds redundancy — if one server goes down, others can pick up the slack, improving reliability.

Know that you typically won’t need load balancing unless you expect truly high traffic or need high availability. It does introduce more complexity (and cost).

But it’s good to understand the concept: when one VPS isn’t enough, you can always add more servers behind a load balancer to add virtually unlimited capacity. Some hosting providers offer easy load balancing or cloud instances that auto-scale out —if your big event is going to be huge, this is an option to discuss with your host.

Step 6: Test Your Setup

Don’t wait until launch day to find out if your scaling efforts worked. Simulate a traffic surge on your site to see how they hold up.

This is commonly done via load testing or stress testing tools. These tools send a large number of simulated visitors or requests to your website to mimic a flood of real traffic. The goal is to push your VPS to the limit in a controlled way and observe what happens.

During load testing, monitor your server’s response times, CPU/RAM usage, and whether any errors occur.

Do pages start failing at a certain number of concurrent users? Is the database choking on too many queries?

A test might reveal, for example, that your site slows down drastically beyond 1,000 simultaneous users — indicating you may need to further optimize or add resources. It’s much better to discover these bottlenecks now instead of during the actual traffic spike, when real customers are on the line.

There are many tools (both free and paid) to do this: Apache JMeter, BlazeMeter, Loader.io, etc.

Run a few tests approaching the traffic levels you expect. This will identify any weak links in your setup (like a particular plugin or script that crashes under load, for example). You can then fix those issues —whether it’s tweaking database indexes or further boosting your resources —before you get big surges in real traffic.

Step 7: Monitor Your VPS in Real Time During the Surge

The day of your campaign or launch is here!

As visitors start flocking in, make sure you’re watching your VPS metrics in real time. Almost all VPS platforms have monitoring tools or dashboards (and if not, third-party monitoring tools can fill the gap). Keep an eye on your CPU usage, memory consumption, disk I/O, and network traffic in real time.

You may want to set up alerts too. For example, get an email or text alert if CPU usage stays above 90% for more than a few minutes, or if memory is running low. These can act as an early warning system so you can take action (like allocating more resources or optimizing something on the fly) before you run into a potentially catastrophic issue.

By monitoring actively, you avoid flying blind. Real-time analytics also let you validate that your preparations are working, and it’s actually pretty fun to watch the numbers if everything is running smoothly.

And if something starts breaking, you’ll be glad you noticed it immediately. Remember, you can’t manage what you don’t monitor.

After the Surge: Review, Right-Size, and Improve

Congratulations on making it through your viral moment! Once the traffic surge subsides, don’t just pat yourself on the back and forget about it. This is a golden opportunity to review and learn from the experience.

• Start with a post-surge analysis: Dig into your server logs and performance metrics to see how things went. 
• Identify any bottlenecks or errors that occurred when traffic was at its peak: For example, did the CPU hit 100%? Did response times spike anywhere? Maybe one of your pages still loaded slowly due to an uncached element. Analyzing this data will pinpoint what worked well and what could still be improved.
• Gather plenty of feedback: if you had team members or users report issues (“Checkout was slow” or “the site timed out for me at 1 p.m.”), take note. All of this information helps you refine your plan for the future. Adjust your infrastructure and configuration based on what you learned. 

If you found you over-provisioned (for example, you doubled your RAM but only used 60% of it), you might scale the VPS back down slightly to save on costs until the next big event. On the other hand, if you were near the limits, you might decide to upgrade to a larger VPS plan permanently, so you’re ready for growth.

This is also a great opportunity to update your contingency plans. Did your alerting and monitoring cover everything? Do you need to add a database replica or tweak your caching settings next time?

Use the experience to improve your playbook for future traffic surges: both planned and unexpected.

Scale Confidently With the Right Hosting

By now, you should feel more confident about scaling your VPS to handle traffic surges. We’ve covered everything from understanding your baseline, beefing up resources, clever caching tricks, to testing and real-time monitoring.

The key takeaway? Preparation beats panic.

When you take these proactive steps, you’re not just hoping your site will survive. You know it will. So, the next time your marketing campaign pays off or your post goes viral, you can celebrate the traffic spike instead of dreading it.

If you’re looking for a hosting partner that makes this entire process easier, consider scaling with DreamHost. DreamHost Managed VPS Hosting offers dedicated resources and a scalable, flexible platform designed for growing sites. With four plans to choose from and features like built-in analytics, free WordPress migrations, expandable RAM and storage, and more, you can trust DreamHost to help your site perform under pressure.

VPS Hosting

Take Charge with Flexible VPS Hosting

Here’s how DreamHost’s VPS offering stands apart: 24/7 customer support, an intuitive panel, scalable RAM, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited hosting domains, and SSD storage.

Choose Your VPS Plan

The post A Beginner’s Guide to Scaling a VPS for Traffic Surges appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

Translating your website can unlock entirely new markets, boost your SEO, and show customers you’re ready to meet them in their language. And the good news is that you don’t need a huge budget or a professional translator on speed dial.

In this guide, we’re covering quick and affordable methods — from AI-powered translation tools to simple WordPress plugins — to help you create a multilingual site so you can offer multilingual content to users worldwide. Let’s get started!

Why You Should Translate Your Website

Before we get into how, let’s briefly tackle why. If you’re on the fence, consider these key benefits.

1. Expand your audience reach: Breaking past the English-speaking crowd can bring in customers from around the globe. 
2. Boost conversions and sales: People tend to buy more readily in their native tongue. Translating your site lowers the barrier to purchase, whether you’re selling digital services or physical products.
3. Improve user experience (UX): Showing that you value non-English readers by giving them a tailored language experience builds trust and feels more inclusive.
4. Enhance SEO: Offering content in multiple languages helps you capture less-competitive foreign-language keywords. You can also set up localized URLs or subdirectories for different regions, further improving search rankings abroad.
5. Build more brand trust: Providing content in a user’s language sends a message: “We care about you.” That resonates deeply with visitors and can boost brand loyalty.

Key Considerations Before You Begin

Translating your site isn’t just a matter of running everything through Google Translate and calling it a day. Here are a few factors to think about before you dive in:

• Identify your target markets: Which countries or languages are most relevant to your business? It might be Spanish for a U.S.-based store, or French for a Canadian audience. Focus on the few that matter most.
• Assess your budget and resources for translation: Decide if you can afford professional translators for critical pages (like product descriptions) or if you need to rely on AI and other technology tools. Consider a hybrid approach if brand voice is crucial but your funds are limited (more on this below).
• Know your platform and tech constraints: Are you on WordPress, Wix, Shopify, or a custom-coded site? Different platforms have different translation solutions (and complexities).
• Consider the SEO challenges: Translating text alone might not be enough. For real international SEO, you’ll want hreflang tags, localized keywords, and possibly subdirectories or subdomains for each language.
• Don’t forget about brand voice and quality control: Machine translation can produce awkward results. If your site’s tone and clarity are key, consider human proofreading for your top-traffic pages, at the very least.

Translation Approaches: AI vs. Human vs. Hybrid

There are a few approaches you can take to translate your site. Before we dive into the tools and methods, let’s briefly compare the pros and cons of AI versus human versus hybrid, or a combination of the two.

How To Translate Your Site Quickly and Easily

In this section, we’ll explore different methods in detail, from simple browser tools to advanced plugins. Whether you’re on WordPress or using another site builder, there’s an approach that fits your needs, and we’ll explore some of the most popular choices below.

1. Browser-Based Translation (Good for Quick Previews)

If you just want a quick sense of how your site looks in another language — or if you’d like to offer a one-click translation option for users — most major browsers have you covered.

Best for: Quick internal checks or adding a small convenience for visitors (though it won’t look super professional)

Pros: 

• Instant
• No installation required
• Free

Cons:

• Usually for personal or user-side translation, not an official website version
• You can’t effectively track or optimize SEO with this method

Here’s what to do:

1. Enable translation in your browser settings
   1. In Chrome, go to Settings > Languages > Google Translate > and turn Use Google Translate on or off.
   2. In Safari, launch the Settings app and go to General > Language & Region. Translation is on by default, but here, you can choose your preferred languages for translation.
   3. In Firefox, go to Settings > General > Language and Appearance > Translations. Translation is on by default, but here, you can choose your preferred languages for translation.

2. Translate your site
   1. In Chrome, select Translate on the right of the address bar, or right-click anywhere on the page and select Translate to [Language].
   2. In Safari, click the Translate button in the Smart Search field and choose a language.
   3. In Firefox, click the translation icon in the toolbar and select your desired translation language from the bottom dropdown menu.

2. AI-Powered Translation Tools

If you want a straightforward, do-it-yourself solution, AI can be the powerful tool you’re looking for. 

Best for: Lean teams that need a broad brush approach, with the option to fine-tune important pages manually

Pros: 

• Generally free or low-cost
• Easy to use
• Fast

Cons:

• Machine translations can be clumsy
• You might need to manually polish important copy

Below, explore some popular AI translation tools and how to use them.

1. Google Translate

Google Translate is one of the longest-running and most popular online translator tools. You can use it to translate individual pages or your entire site into different languages.

Here’s what to do:

1. Go to Google Translate.
2. Choose Websites.
3. Enter your site URL.
4. Select your target language.

2. DeepL

DeepL is widely praised for producing more natural-sounding translations than Google in certain languages, especially European languages like German or French.. It offers a free version for limited text, plus paid tiers for larger volumes. 

Here’s what to do:

1. Go to DeepL.
2. Select your target language.
3. Enter the text from your website that you want to translate.

3. Lokalise

Lokalise is more of a localization platform with a free trial, offering translation and project management.

Here’s what to do:

1. Go to Lokalise.
2. Sign up for a free trial.
3. Upload files to translate.
4. Choose human or machine translators, depending on your site and needs.

4. ChatGPT

ChatGPT or other AI text-generation APIs can produce translations, but you’ll need custom prompts and potential coding to integrate them into your site.

Here’s what to do:

1. Log in to ChatGPT to access the model.
2. Enter a prompt asking it to translate your website copy from one language to another.
3. For more accurate translations, you might include context about your website in your prompt.

3. WordPress Translation Plugins

For WordPress users, installing a dedicated plugin can seamlessly manage translations across your site. 

Best for: WordPress sites wanting a built-in, trackable solution for both auto and manual translations.

Pros:

• Automatic creation of language switchers
• SEO benefits
• Easy to manage from the WP admin

Cons:

• Some advanced features cost extra
• Not applicable to non-WordPress users

Below are four standout WordPress translation plugins we recommend looking into.

1. Weglot

Weglot combines automatic and manual translation — it instantly translates site content into over 100 languages, then lets you tweak or edit in a user-friendly interface. It’s also easy to set up. 

Get an API key from Weglot, install their plugin, pick your languages, and you’re off.

Here’s what to do:

1. Sign up for a Weglot account to get your API key.
2. Install the Weglot Translate plugin on your WordPress site.
3. After activating the plugin, navigate to Weglot and enter your API key.
4. Select your Original Language (such as English) and set the Destination Languages.
5. Click Save.

2. Polylang

Polylang offers a free base plugin that can translate posts, pages, media, and even categories manually. It also has advanced SEO tools like built-in hreflang support, SEO-friendly permalinks, etc.

Here’s what to do:

1. Install and activate the plugin. 
2. Access its settings by navigating to Languages.
3. For more advanced features, upgrade to a Pro plan.

3. WPML

WPML is one of the most popular translation plugins for WordPress. It isn’t free like the previous two plugins on this list, but it’s powerful, making it a longtime favorite for big, complex sites. It offers broad language coverage, with over 40 languages out of the box. Plus, custom variants.

This tool is intuitive and easy to use. However, it’s mostly focused on manual translation.

Here’s what to do:

1. Install and activate the plugin. 
2. Assign the Translator role to specific users.

4. TranslatePress

TranslatePress adds a language switcher to your site: a dropdown menu or button that visitors can use to select a translated version of a page.

A language switcher can enable each visitor to your site to select their preferred language. This provides a quick, convenient way to translate your website without leaving the page.

Here’s what to do:

1. Install and activate the plugin.
2. Go to Settings > TranslatePress > General. In the “All Languages” section, there will be a default language set for your website. Here, select some alternate languages.
3. Scroll down to the Language Switcher settings. With TranslatePress, you can display your language switcher with shortcodes, as a menu item, or with a floating language selection menu.
4. Using the dropdown menu, you can choose to display the language names, flags, or both.
5. When you’re finished, save your changes.
6. Add the switcher to a page by adding a shortcode block: ‘[language-switcher]’. On the front end, you’ll be able to see your list of available languages, and any visitor can easily read your website in their preferred language simply by selecting it.

4. Manual (Human) Translations

For absolute precision and brand alignment, you can’t beat a real human who knows the language well. This approach makes sense if your site has crucial marketing copy or nuanced product descriptions.

Best for: Key landing pages, product descriptions, or brand storytelling sections you can’t afford to get wrong.

Pros:

• Highest-quality, tailored copy that resonates with local markets

Cons:

• Slower turnaround
• Higher cost
• Requires ongoing maintenance for updates or new blog posts

You can take a few different approaches here. 

Some business owners choose to hire freelancers, which you can do on platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, or ProZ. These platforms make it easier to find translators specializing in your industry and at a wide range of price points. 

Even though they aren’t an employee, you can share your style guide or brand guidelines with your chosen translator to help them keep their voice consistent.

Another option is to hire an agency. Services like Gengo or Translated.com offer quick, professional translations per word. Typically, with this type of service, you pay by word count or by project size, so translation is more expensive for larger sites or more complex projects.

5. Combining Methods: The Hybrid Approach

If you want to keep costs low while avoiding cringe-worthy translations, consider a best-of-both-worlds approach: use AI for the bulk of your translation needs, and have a human do manual checks to proofread or polish the most important pages.

Best for: Small businesses that want decent translations but can’t afford to pay for every single page.

Pros:

• Strikes a balance between speed, cost, and quality

Cons:

• You still need at least a bit of budget for final edits

Here’s what to do:

1. Run your entire site through an AI tool or plugin to generate rough translations.
2. Hire a freelancer or agency to refine your most critical pages (homepage, product pages, sign-up forms, etc.).
3. Track user feedback and analytics to see if visitors spend more time on the new language versions.

SEO Considerations for International Content

Translating text is one thing, but making sure search engines can discover and rank these new language pages is another. Keep these pointers in mind.

• URL structures:
  • Consider subfolders (e.g., example.com/fr/) or subdomains (fr.example.com) for clarity.
  • Some big brands use country-coded TLDs (example.fr) if they’re focused on a particular region.
• Hreflang tags:
  • These tags tell Google and other search engines: “This page is intended for French speakers,” or “This version is for Spanish speakers.”
  • Implement them correctly to avoid duplicate content issues.
• Localized keywords:
  • Translating “shoes” directly into Spanish might yield moderate results, but local slang or synonyms may do better.
  • Use local keyword research to find real terms people use.
• Translated media:
  • Titles and meta descriptions matter for SEO. Don’t forget to localize them as well — helps search engines match your pages to the right audience.
• Analytics:
  • Look at traffic from different countries, bounce rates, time on page, etc. Tweak if you see low engagement for certain languages.

Putting It All Together: Quick Start Checklist

Ready to translate your site? To wrap up, here’s a checklist you can follow as you get started.

1. Choose your translation method: Decide on an AI, manual, or hybrid approach based on budget and how critical perfect translations are.
2. Focus on key pages first: Translate the pages most important to your business goals (like product listings or a signup page).
3. Add a language switcher: Make it easy for users to switch languages with a clear dropdown or flags.
4. Proofread your most crucial copy: Even if you rely on AI for 80% of the site, get a human to review your homepage or sales pages.
5. Implement basic SEO steps: Use hreflang tags, create subdirectories, and localize your meta tags.
6. Test, launch, and track: Check analytics for engagement from new regions. Iterate your strategy if you see poor metrics or notice additional opportunities.

Translate Your Site Today

Translating your site can be the difference between local niche success and a thriving international brand. Whether you opt for a zero-cost AI solution, a specialized WordPress plugin, or a fully human-led approach, offering content in multiple languages can open doors to markets you’ve never tapped before.

Remember, you don’t have to be a multilingual whiz — even a partial translation can yield more traffic, sales, and brand loyalty from non-English speakers. If you’re looking for a reliable home for your newly global site, DreamHost’s hosting solutions offer fast, secure, and scalable plans to support your international ambitions.

The post How To Translate Your Site in Multiple Languages (Quick & Easy) appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

You tried to load your website, but Chrome is throwing an error.

What in the world is ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED supposed to mean?

The short answer: this error message says that your browser tried to contact the host server, but couldn’t get through.

There are several reasons why this could be happening — from a misbehaving VPN to host downtime. Most often, the cause can be found on your device or network.

Before you throw your laptop in the trash and curse the invention of the Internet, we have some words of reassurance; this error is usually pretty easy to fix.

Just follow the steps in this (surprisingly entertaining) troubleshooting guide, and we should get you back on track!

What Does ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED Actually Mean?

When you tried to open that web page, Chrome (or your chosen browser) attempted to set up a connection with the hosting server.

That connection allows the server to send over the content you requested.

Except, this time, your browser couldn’t get through. That’s why you’re staring blankly at an ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED error screen.

The possible causes for this problem can largely be grouped into three categories:

1. Network issues: Your device simply can’t make contact with the host server.
2. Browser gremlins: Either Chrome or a different extension is messing with your connectivity.
3. Hosting problems: You could see an error if your site isn’t configured properly or you’ve run out of resources. 

There’s a strong chance that your network or browser is to blame.

But if other people struggle to access your website, you might need to visit your hosting panel.

Diagnosing ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED Problems

At this point, you could just scroll down to the possible fixes and start working through the list.

If you have 30 seconds to spare though, it’s worth running a quick test first.

Are you seeing the error on just one website?

If yes, the host server could be to blame.

But if every website you visit is showing the ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED error, you almost certainly have a misbehaving network or browser on your hands.

Top sleuthing, Sherlock.

12 Quick Ways To Fix the ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED Error

That’s enough homework. Time to fix the problem and forget it ever happened.

Here’s your troubleshooting checklist — starting with the most obvious facepalm-worthy solutions, and ending with issues you might not have considered.

1. Check Your Internet Connection

It feels stupid to even ask but…is your internet actually working?

You’d be surprised how often this is the root of the problem.

If your connection has dropped, Chrome won’t be able to reach any site — which is exactly what leads to that ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED message.

Try visiting a reliable website like Google. Next, check your favorite app that needs the internet. Fire up Netflix or Spotify and see if you can stream content.

If these aren’t working, take a look at your Wi-Fi signal or ensure your ethernet cable is firmly plugged in.

It might only take a small nudge to put things right!

2. Reboot Your Router

The most successful IT remedy of all time? Turn it off and turn it back on.

You can use this tried-and-tested method to fix the ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED issue. Simply unplug your modem or router for at least 30 seconds, and then restart the device.

This can clear out temporary glitches and reset the connection to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Once your Internet is back online, you might just find that the error is gone.

3. Reset Your Device’s Network Settings

No luck? Let’s look under the hood.

Network settings can become corrupted faster than milk left out on a summer’s day. What started as a smooth connection can turn into a tangled mess of misconfigured protocols and confused network interfaces.

Resetting your network settings essentially flushes the system, and that can be enough to clear the error.

Resetting Network Settings on Windows

To complete this task, you’ll need to open Command Prompt. Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as it sounds.

1. Open the Start menu and search for “cmd.”

2. You should see “Command Prompt” as the top result. Right-click on the program and choose Run as administrator.

3. Now, we need to run some commands. To reset your TCP/IP settings, paste this and hit Enter:

netsh int ip reset

4. To reset your Windows Sockets interface (Winsock), follow the same drill with this command:

netsh winsock reset

5. Finish up by restarting your device.

Resetting Network Settings on macOS

Mac users have it slightly easier. It just requires a few clicks in your “System Settings” – We even have pictures!

From the sidebar menu, select Network.

Next, choose your active Internet interface (e.g. Wi-Fi, Ethernet, etc).

Click Details next to your active network.

Choose TCP/IP on the left.

Then hit the Renew DHCP Lease in the right-hand panel.

Finish by clicking OK and restarting your Mac.

With any luck, that might solve the headache!

4. Check Your Firewall and Antivirus

Using security tools to protect your device is highly recommended.

The only problem is, antivirus software and firewalls can sometimes be a little too protective.

Instead of only blocking unwanted attention, they interfere with genuine website traffic.

To test whether this is your problem, you will need to temporarily disable your security tools.

• On Windows: You probably have Windows Defender Firewall running. Search for “Windows Security” via the Start menu. Open the program, and navigate to Virus & threat protection > Manage settings and toggle real-time protection to off.
• On macOS: You can control the built-in macOS firewall via System Settings > Network > Firewall. 

If you have third-party antivirus software (like Norton, McAfee, Avast, etc.), you’ll need to open that specific application and turn off real-time protection.

Once you’ve lowered your guard, check Chrome to see if the error has cleared. Make sure to re-enable the protections ASAP!

5. Play Around With Your VPN

In some cases, the ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED error can be tied to how your Internet traffic is being routed.

Depending on your situation, either using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or disabling VPN and proxy settings could resolve the issue.

Sounds like a contradiction, we know. Allow us to explain.

When To Use a VPN

If you’re struggling to access specific sites, it could be because your ISP is blocking access. Using a VPN should allow you to bypass these restrictions.

If you don’t currently use a VPN, try a free service like ProtonVPN to run the test.

When To Disable Your VPN

Ironically, the very same app that helps you to bypass restrictions can also interfere with your connection, triggering errors like ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED.

If you’re having issues with most websites, try temporarily disabling your VPN or proxy settings. It might just clear the error.

6. Clear Your Browser Cache

Your browser’s cache is essentially a short-term memory for websites. It saves bits and pieces of sites you visit (like images and files), so they load faster the next time you go there.

Just occasionally, that saved data becomes outdated or corrupted. This can interfere with loading the current version of a site — potentially causing errors like ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED.

The fix is to clear the cache.

Here’s how to do it with Chrome:Click the three-dot menu in the top-right corner of any window, and select Delete browsing data….

In the pop-up panel, set the “Time range” to All time.

Then, check the box labeled Cached images and files.

Finish by hitting Delete data.

7. Flush Your DNS Cache

Just as your browser cache stores website files for quick access, your DNS cache remembers the locations of websites you have visited.

If those records ever become corrupted, the DNS cache could send your browser to completely the wrong part of Internet town.

Here’s how to start again with a clean slate.

Chrome’s Internal DNS Cache

1. Type chrome://net-internals/#dns in your address bar and hit Enter.
2. Look for the “Clear host cache” button and click it. Chrome will immediately start building a fresh cache — no need to restart your device.

Windows DNS

1. Press the Windows key and type “cmd”.
2. Right-click on Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
3. Type the following command and hit Enter:
   ipconfig /flushdns
   
4. Look for the “Successfully flushed the DNS Resolver Cache” message.
5. Restart your device and cross your fingers that it worked.

MacOS DNS

1. Navigate to Applications > Utilities and open Terminal.
2. Paste in this command and smash Enter:
   sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
   
3. Provide your password when prompted (don’t worry, it’s legit!)
4. Once the process is complete, restart your Mac and retest for an error.

8. Disable Your Chrome Extensions

Chrome extensions are usually very helpful. But they can go rogue, interfering with how websites load or communicate with your browser.

You can test whether one of your extensions is causing the ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED error like this:

1. Type chrome://extensions/ in the address bar and hit Enter.
2. Switch off your extensions one by one, using the little toggle switch next to each tool.
3. After disabling each extension, reload the website you were trying to access originally. If the error suddenly clears, the extension you most recently deactivated could be to blame!

9. Update or Reinstall Chrome

Google couldn’t be to blame, surely?

Well, it’s just possible that the Chrome browser on your device is having an off day.

To rule out this potential issue, make sure you have the latest version of Chrome. You can check this by visiting chrome://settings/help.

You can also try uninstalling Chrome, and then grabbing a fresh download from the official website. Can’t hurt to try!

10. Reset Chrome’s Settings

Another possibility is that your Chrome browser settings are messing with your connection.

The fix here is to reset Chrome to default settings:

Let’s hit that three-dot menu in the top-right corner again. Then, select Settings.

From the left sidebar, click on Reset settings > Restore settings to their original defaults.

Complete the process by hitting Reset settings.

11. Switch Your DNS Provider

We talked about your DNS cache earlier. That’s basically your computer’s local address book.

Your computer gets those addresses from a larger DNS server, usually provided automatically by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

If your ISP’s servers have temporary problems, you might stumble upon connection issues.

You can work around this problem by switching to a different DNS provider:

• Cloudflare: 1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1
• Google Public DNS: 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

💡Pro Tip: Cloudflare has great step-by-step instructions on how to install new DNS servers on pretty much any device.

12. Run a Malware Scan

It’s not a nice thought, but there’s a small chance your connection troubles could be caused by malware.

Just to be on the safe side, we recommend using a trusted program like Malwarebytes (free version available) to run a quick scan. It might resolve the error!

How To Fix ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED on Your Website

So, you’ve worked through the whole checklist and you’re still seeing the ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED error on your website.

Bad luck, webmaster. Looks like an issue with your site.

We can fix it, though. Just a few more troubleshooting steps to work through!

Check Your Hosting IP Address

The ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED error can rear its ugly head when the hosting server of your website is unreachable for some reason. It might be down, for example.

To test this, head over to DNSChecker and type in your website URL. This tool will quickly give you the server IP address.

Next, paste your IP address into the Ping tool on the same site. This will reveal whether the server is accepting incoming data.

Check Your Hosting Plan

Every hosting plan has certain limits on things like storage and traffic.

If you go over these limits, it’s possible you’ll just see an error.

You can check this via your hosting panel. At DreamHost, we offer unlimited traffic on all of our shared hosting plans, so this shouldn’t really be an issue.

Just sayin’.

Contact Your Host

If all else fails, get in touch with your hosting provider. They should be able to figure out what’s going on.

Not to brag, but DreamHost offers 24/7 live support to help you get issues sorted ASAP.

Give Your Site the Gift of Reliable Hosting

As we’ve discovered in this guide, there are many possible reasons why you could see an ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED error on your site — from messed up firewall settings to VPN service issues.

Luckily, you don’t have to get too technical to find the fix. Make sure to bookmark this page for the next time you need to troubleshoot!

If you want to banish errors from your website for good, you could also think about switching to DreamHost.

Our plans come with unlimited bandwidth, 100% uptime, and 24/7 support. In other words, everything you need for a rock-solid website.

Sign up today to unlock the upgrades!

The post How To Fix the ERR_CONNECTION_CLOSED Error in Google Chrome appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

It’s a frustrating experience, especially if you’ve already invested in a virtual private server (VPS). Isn’t VPS hosting supposed to supercharge your site compared to shared hosting? Well, yes. But, you often have to fine-tune your VPS to fully unleash its speed potential.

That’s what we’ll explore here: a straightforward yet comprehensive guide to VPS performance tuning. By the end of this article, you’ll know what tweaks can make your site load faster, how to identify bottlenecks, and even when you might need to upgrade your hosting plan. (Bonus: how DreamHost can help).

Let’s dive in.

Why Site Speed Is Crucial for Small Businesses

Your website’s speed does more than just satisfy the impatient —it can literally make or break sales. Research shows that many visitors will bounce if it takes longer than three seconds to load. For a small business, every lost visitor can mean lost revenue and a potential blow to your reputation.

Some other reasons why having a speedy site matters:

• User experience: People expect near-instant page loads. If they get stuck waiting, they might not come back.
• Conversion rates: A faster site can lead to higher conversions, whether “conversion” means a sale, a newsletter signup, or filling out a contact form.
• SEO: Search engines like Google prioritize faster sites. More speed can help you rank higher, which translates to more traffic.

VPS Hosting vs. Shared Hosting

You might already know the basics, but let’s clarify why you should choose VPS in the first place.

With shared hosting:

1. You share server resources (CPU, RAM) with many other sites.
2. If one site hogs resources, everyone else can experience slowdowns.
3. It’s cheaper and easier to set up, but there’s less control and performance consistency.

With virtual private server or VPS hosting:

1. You get your own virtual “slice” of the server.
2. Resources are more dedicated, and you have better control over configurations.
3. Scalability is simpler, so you can adjust resources as your site grows.

However, VPS hosting isn’t always plug-and-play. Sure, you already have more power and flexibility than you get with shared hosting, but you still need to optimize the server’s settings (and your site’s code) to see those blazing speeds.

👉🏼 Want to learn more? Check out our comprehensive comparison: Shared vs. VPS Hosting

What Is VPS Performance Tuning?

VPS performance tuning is the process of adjusting server configurations, software settings, and resource usage so your site runs as efficiently as possible. It can involve everything from updating your server software to tweaking database queries. The end goal is always the same: faster loading times and a smoother experience for your visitors.

What Issues Does It Solve

• Traffic spikes: Handles sudden surges in visitors without your site grinding to a halt.
• Resource bottlenecks: Prevents CPU or memory overuse that leads to slow load times or crashes.
• Custom needs: Tailors the server’s default settings to suit your specific website or application requirements.

Metrics To Watch

• CPU usage: High CPU usage means your server’s processor is working overtime, and could indicate the need for more CPU or better optimization.
• RAM usage: If you consistently hit memory limits, you might need to increase your RAM allotment or reduce memory-hungry processes.
• Server response time: Tools like GTmetrix measure how quickly your server responds to a request.
• Disk I/O: High input/output operations on your drive can slow things down if your site handles lots of read/write operations (for example, large media files).

Questions To Ask Before You Tune

Not every site speed issue is directly tied to VPS configurations. Sometimes, the fix might be as simple as compressing images. So it’s a good idea to check the basics and ask yourself a few questions before diving into advanced server tweaks.

1. Is your site slow at specific times?

Notice patterns like peak traffic hours. If your site only lags during certain windows, that may point to resource spikes or concurrency issues.

2. Have you optimized images and other media?

Massive image files or auto-playing videos can kill load times. Tools like TinyPNG or image compression plugins can help.

3. Are you using too many plugins or scripts?

In WordPress, especially, every plugin can add overhead. Disable or delete the ones you don’t truly need to boost your site’s performance.

4. Are you monitoring server resource usage?

Check your VPS dashboard or analytics to see if you’re consistently hitting CPU or memory limits.

5. Could you have a security issue?

Malware or spam attacks can hog resources and slow your site to a crawl. Periodically scan your site for vulnerabilities.

If everything above seems in order — and your site still lags — it’s time to roll up your sleeves for some VPS performance tuning. Head to the next section and follow the steps to get started.

Step-by-Step Guide to VPS Performance Tuning

If you’re new to server management, the idea of “performance tuning” might sound intimidating, but rest assured, these steps can be taken no matter your level of expertise.

Below, we’ll walk through each optimization strategy so you can take immediate action and see real improvements in your VPS-hosted site’s speed.

1. Update and Patch Your Server Software

Keeping your server’s operating system and software up to date means you have the latest performance enhancements and security fixes. Outdated software can become a bottleneck, or even a security risk.

What to do:

1. Log in to your VPS: Do this using SSH or your hosting control panel.
2. Check for updates: Depending on your setup, some components may auto-update. Still, check for available patches or recommended updates.
3. Apply updates: When prompted, confirm that you want to apply all upgrades. This might take a few minutes; avoid rebooting or closing your terminal mid-process.
4. Restart services: Once upgrades are done, you may need to restart services like Apache, NGINX, or MySQL for changes to apply.
5. Check for new updates periodically: And keep an eye on release notes to see if new versions address specific performance issues.

Humble Brag/Tech Tip: DreamHost VPS plans are fully managed. What does that mean? Well, users don’t need to worry about managing server-level software. Let us handle the core systems while you focus on continuing to build your business.

2. Configure Caching (Server-Side and Application-Level)

Caching prevents your server from doing the same work repeatedly. By storing frequently requested data in memory or on disk, your site can respond faster to requests.

What to do:

1. Install and enable caching modules: This will vary depending on your setup.
   • For Apache, consider enabling “mod_cache” or “mod_deflate.”
   • For PHP, make sure OPcache is running (often installed by default on newer PHP versions). You can check by creating a phpinfo() file or looking at your server’s PHP config.
2. Enable browser caching:
   • In your .htaccess (Apache) or server block (NGINX), set expires headers for static files (images, CSS, JavaScript).
3. Validate that caching is working: Use developer tools in your browser (Network tab) to see if files are being served from cache. Check your site speed using GTmetrix before and after enabling caching.
4. Experiment with different TTL (time-to-live) values to balance fresh content vs. speed: If you notice stale content issues, adjust cache rules or implement cache purging.

3. Optimize Web Server Settings

Your web server software might be using default settings that aren’t ideal for your traffic levels or site structure. Tweaking concurrency, compression, and other parameters helps your VPS serve pages more efficiently.

What to do:

1. Check your logs for clues: For example, error logs or access logs might show repeated 503 errors if your server is overloaded. You can adjust settings gradually based on what you see and test the impact each time.
2. Monitor CPU/RAM usage after each change you make: If your site experiences random spikes, consider implementing rate limits or throttling to handle malicious or excessive requests.
3. An idea for a place to start: Configure concurrency or enable compression.
   • Locate your server’s config file and increase or decrease worker processes/threads based on your RAM.

4. Fine-Tune Your Database

Databases can quickly become performance bottlenecks. Optimizing them means fast queries and efficient use of server memory.

What to do:

1. Optimize your config file: The exact process for doing this will vary depending on the type of database you use, but you’ll need to edit my.cnf, which is often in “/etc/mysql/” or “/etc/.” The value you use will depend on your VPS RAM. For example, don’t allocate 2GB if your entire server only has 2GB total.
2. Indexing and table maintenance: Use phpMyAdmin or MySQL CLI to run:

OPTIMIZE TABLE your_table_name;
ANALYZE TABLE your_table_name;

This reclaims unused space and updates index statistics. Then, remove old data, logs, or revision histories you no longer need.

3. Identify slow queries: Enable the slow query log by adding to “my.cnf.”

slow_query_log = 1
slow_query_log_file = /var/log/mysql/slow-queries.log
long_query_time = 2

Check the log file to see which queries exceed two seconds, then work on optimizing those or adding missing indexes.

4. Database still sluggish? Consider splitting read/write loads or switching to a more advanced engine if appropriate.

5. Enable CDN (Content Delivery Network) for Static Assets

A CDN offloads static files (like images, CSS, and JS) to multiple servers across the globe. When users visit your site, those assets load from the nearest server, reducing latency and boosting your site speed.

What to do:

1. Choose a CDN provider: Cloudflare is a popular option that offers a free tier.
2. Update DNS or integrate:
   • For Cloudflare, change your domain’s nameservers to Cloudflare’s. They’ll proxy traffic through their network.
   • For other CDNs, you might just add a CNAME (e.g., “cdn.yourdomain.com”) pointing to their servers.
3. Configure cache rules:
   • Decide how aggressive the CDN’s caching should be. Typically, you want images, CSS, and JS to be cached for at least a week or more.
   • Make sure dynamic pages (like cart or account pages) are not cached.
4. Use GTmetrix to compare load times before and after: You should see a noticeable drop in total request time, especially for users far from your origin server.
5. Check your CDN’s analytics dashboard to confirm it’s actively caching: If certain files aren’t being cached, update your rules or see if your code sets special headers that prevent caching.

6. Adjust PHP and Script Execution Limits

Your VPS may be running PHP scripts that occasionally need more memory or time to complete. Setting these limits properly prevents out-of-memory errors without letting rogue scripts hog all resources.

What to do:

1. Increase or decrease your memory limit: Find your PHP config file (often php.ini or .user.ini) and adjust “memory_limit.”
2. Tweak execution time: Look for “max_execution_time” or “max_input_time.” Setting them too high can lead to stuck processes; too low might break complex operations.
3. Check logs: If you see errors like “Allowed memory size of X bytes exhausted,” you might need a higher memory limit or more efficient scripts. If your site randomly times out, consider a slight bump to “max_execution_time.”
4. Your goal is to strike a balance: You don’t want to mask poorly optimized code by giving it unlimited resources. If certain scripts still hog memory, investigate or consult with a developer.

7. Audit Your Website for Bottlenecks

Even the best server optimizations can’t fix poorly coded themes or 100 uncompressed images. A thorough site audit will help you address front-end or application-level issues.

What to do:

1. Run speed tests: Do this using GTmetrix to see if heavy scripts or large images are the real culprits.
2. Minify and combine CSS/JS: Minification removes unnecessary characters in code. Some caching plugins do this automatically (e.g., W3 Total Cache, Autoptimize). Combining multiple CSS/JS files into a single file reduces the number of HTTP requests.
3. Enable lazy loading: For images below the fold, you can use a lazy load plugin or code snippet to load them only as the user scrolls.
4. Disable excess plugins and themes: In WordPress, go to “Plugins” and deactivate anything non-essential.
5. After each change, re-run your speed tests: Incremental improvements are easier to measure, and you’ll see which tweaks have the biggest impact. Maintain a clean site structure as you grow — keep an eye on new plugins or code to make sure they don’t re-introduce bottlenecks.

When To Upgrade Your VPS Plan

You might try all the above tricks and still find your site crawling at peak times. That’s a strong hint you’ve outgrown your current VPS tier.

If you see:

• Constantly high CPU or RAM usage: Even with caching and optimization, your resource graphs keep spiking.
• Frequent slowdowns or crashes: You’re still battling downtime during traffic surges.

It may be time to invest in a higher-tier VPS. Especially for e-commerce sites that rely on speed to keep customers engaged and coming back, this is an investment that will pay for itself.

DreamHost offers several VPS plans with varying RAM and CPU allocations. Each plan includes an easy-to-use dashboard and proactive alerts, so you can scale up instantly when you’re ready.

Improving your site’s loading speed isn’t about tinkering with random settings and hoping for the best. There’s a method behind the madness, which begins with basic housekeeping (compressing images and removing bloated plugins) and progresses to server-level optimizations (caching, database tuning, and CDN integration).

Ready to get more speed? Check out DreamHost’s VPS hosting plans to see how easy it is to manage and tune your server, complete with user-friendly dashboards and top-tier support. Because a faster site isn’t just a perk — it’s a business advantage you can’t afford to overlook.

VPS Hosting

Take Charge with Flexible VPS Hosting

Here’s how DreamHost’s VPS offering stands apart: 24/7 customer support, an intuitive panel, scalable RAM, unlimited bandwidth, unlimited hosting domains, and SSD storage.

Choose Your VPS Plan

The post How To Boost Website Speed With VPS Performance Tuning appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

Your homepage is a showstopper. Your blog is filling up fast. And now you’re adding even more — perhaps a portfolio or a section stacked with testimonials.

The only problem is, you’re not sure how to keep it all properly organized.

You know WordPress can handle different post types. But, uhhhh…how do you actually access that feature?

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Custom post types are essentially like unicorns — everyone’s heard of them, but very few people have seen them in person. 

To help you learn more about these mythical beasts, we’ve made a guide. A really good, comprehensive guide that anyone can follow. And you’re reading it now.

Give us 10 minutes of your time, and we’ll introduce you to the world of custom post types (CPTs).

Let’s get started!

What Are Custom Post Types (and Why Should You Care)?

As you’re probably aware, WordPress was originally designed as a blogging platform. And it still plays that role really well.

Of course, WordPress can do much more nowadays. Many WordPress-powered sites don’t even have a blog, but underneath the hood, that original blog-based skeleton is still there.

This means that whenever you publish content, it’s usually packaged in one of these default post types:

• Posts: Blog posts, that is
• Pages: Every page that isn’t a standard post
• Attachments: Media uploads, like photos and audio snippets
• Revisions: When you edit an existing post, the changes are stored here
• Nav Menu: Every menu on your site is stored in one of these

Sticking with these default options is just fine if you have a simple website, but what about if you want to run a store or create a visual portfolio?

You could jam your content into a post or a page, but how do you separate real blog posts from the other stuff? 

Some site owners try to MacGyver the situation, using categories and tags to organize their content. The problem is, you end up with an organizational headache.

This is where custom post types come in useful. Basically, you can tell WordPress exactly what type of content you want to publish and how that content should be displayed. 

There are multiple benefits.

• Improved user experience: By structuring content logically, CPTs help visitors navigate your site more efficiently, leading to better engagement.
• Enhanced SEO: CPTs can have their own taxonomies, metadata, and URL structures. In plain English, that means search engines can understand and index your content more effectively.
• Better scalability and flexibility: Creating a clear structure for your content means you’re less likely to encounter issues as your site grows.
• A bespoke admin environment: Your WordPress dashboard can be tailored with custom menu items and fields, so you can add new posts and make updates faster.
• Better integration with plugins: Many WordPress plugins, such as custom fields tools and page builders, are specifically designed to work with CPTs. Again, this opens up more options for customizing your admin environment.
• Consistent content display: Create a uniform look and feel for your new content types by creating custom templates.

To summarize: custom post types rock.

Do Custom Post Types Affect SEO and Performance?

You may hear some people say that custom post types will ruin your site performance and mess up your SEO.

That can happen, but that’s almost always the result of bad code.

If you set up your CPTs properly, you shouldn’t see any issues. In fact, creating a better structure might improve the search performance of your WordPress website.

4 Telltale Signs That Your Website Needs Custom Post Types

Okay, that’s the sales pitch done. Now, do you actually need this feature? There’s no point in reading a whole guide unless your site will benefit.

With that in mind, here are the main telltale signs that CPTs are worth exploring.

1. Your Site Has Multiple Types of Content

Content comes in many flavors. If your website features more than one, you might want to explore custom post types.

Some examples:

• A photography portfolio with image galleries and detailed descriptions
• Event listings that have date, time, and location fields
• Client testimonials that are structured differently from your blog posts

Any content that doesn’t neatly fit either the post or page format is prime CPT material.

2. Content Management Feels Like a Total Mess

Does your WordPress admin area feel like an untamed jungle? For example, are you:

• Using categories or tags to differentiate unrelated content types? (E.g., mixing blog posts and portfolio items)
• Relying heavily on page builders or shortcodes to create unique layouts for different types of content?
• Having difficulty filtering or sorting content?

These are all symptoms of a site that’s crying out for custom post types!

3. Some Content Types Don’t Display Properly on Your Site

Maybe your site only has one type of content…but these posts just don’t look right. 

A common example would be product pages that look like blog posts. No one with an ounce of discernment is buying from that online store.

The solution involves custom post types. You can assign each new post type a unique template that is perfectly tailored to your content. 

4. You Need Features That Posts and Pages Don’t Have

Posts and pages can handle text, links, images, embedded media…and that’s about it. 

If you need something more, you should probably set up some CPTs.

Some real-world examples:

• Event pages that need date pickers, RSVP options, and countdown timers
• Real estate listings with price fields, location maps, and property details
• Job boards that have application forms and submission tracking

How To Create Custom Post Types

Hmm, seems like you could use some CPTs. Shall we create some?

There are several ways to register custom post types in WordPress. 

The simple route calls for no technical knowledge. If you’re comfortable working with PHP snippets, the middle road offers more customization options. For coders, the fully hands-on method provides complete control.

Let’s work through them now.

1. The Easy Plugin Method (Beginner-Friendly)

Not a WordPress expert? We get you. Whether you’re new to the platform or new to running a website, the whole thing can seem overwhelming.

Not to worry. Tools like Custom Post Type UI plugin make it simple to install CPTs.1. Install the plugin: In your WordPress admin area, visit Plugins > Add New Plugin, and search for “Custom Post Type UI.” Click Install Now.

Once installed, the button will change to “Activate.” Click it.

2. Open the plugin settings: Via the sidebar menu, head to CPT UI > Add/Edit Post Types.

3. Fill out the basic settings: Choose a slug and a name for your new CPT. The plugin will ask you for both the singular and plural versions.

4. Choose your settings: This page has a huge range of options, allowing you to configure access, fields, functions, and additional labels for your new post type.

5. Publish: Once you’re done, click the blue Add Post Type button to create your new CPT!

The new custom post type will appear in the sidebar, like your Posts and Pages. You can open this new menu item to add and manage content.

2. Using WPCode for Manual Creation (Intermediate)

Let’s take things up a notch. If you’re comfortable customizing WordPress, this next method will give you more options to play with.

It’s based around a plugin called WPCode, which helps you add PHP snippets to core files in a secure way.

Here’s the process:

1. Install the WPCode plugin: In the sidebar, visit Plugins > Add New Plugin and search for “WPCode.” Install and activate it.

2. Add a new PHP snippet: Navigate to Code Snippets > + Add Snippet via the sidebar menu.

This will open up a library of ready-made code snippets.

There’s loads of useful stuff here — but for this task, you need to select Add Your Custom Code (New Snippet). It should be right at the top.

3. Build your snippet: From the pop-up panel, choose PHP Snippet.

You should then see a nice big box for your code.

To register your new CPT, you can paste in this template and make changes to match your requirements:

 // Our custom post type function

 function create_posttype() {
  
    register_post_type( 'portfolio',
    // CPT Options
        array(
            'labels' => array(
                'name' => __( 'Portfolio' ),
                'singular_name' => __( 'Portfolio Item' )
            ),
            'public' => true,
            'has_archive' => true,
            'rewrite' => array('slug' => 'portfolio'),
            'show_in_rest' => true,
  
        )
    );
}
// Hooking up our function to theme setup
add_action( 'init', 'create_posttype' );

4. Save and activate: Once you’re happy with your code, hit the Save button on the top right. To put your new post type into action, hit the toggle switch that currently says “Inactive” and click Update to finish up.

Once again, your new custom post type should appear in the sidebar menu. You can click on this label to start creating custom content!

Safety Tips

Whenever you’re playing with code in WordPress, think of yourself as a chemistry teacher doing a science experiment. Take some precautions, and you should avoid setting the whole place on fire…

• Test your new snippet on a staging site if possible.
• Always review and back up your website before adding new code.
• WPCode provides a sandboxed environment, but be careful if you’re not experienced with code.

3. Coding Directly in functions.php (Advanced)

Hello, WordPress veteran. You skipped to the end because you prefer to not use plugins. You just need a nudge in the right direction, and away you go.

Here’s your workflow:

1. Back up your site: An important precaution. We don’t want any whoopsies.
2. Set up a child theme: We have a full guide ready for you explaining how to work on this.
3. Open your child theme’s functions.php file: You can access it via WordPress (Appearance > Theme Editor) or via FTP. If you can’t see the Theme Editor in your admin sidebar, permissions, or your hosting provider might block it.
4. Insert your custom code: Here are some of the options you have to play with:

// Register Custom Post Type for Portfolio
function register_portfolio_post_type() {
    $labels = array(
        'name'                  => _x('Portfolios', 'Post Type General Name', 'textdomain'),
        'singular_name'         => _x('Portfolio', 'Post Type Singular Name', 'textdomain'),
        'menu_name'             => __('Portfolios', 'textdomain'),
        'name_admin_bar'        => __('Portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'archives'              => __('Portfolio Archives', 'textdomain'),
        'attributes'            => __('Portfolio Attributes', 'textdomain'),
        'parent_item_colon'     => __('Parent Portfolio:', 'textdomain'),
        'all_items'             => __('All Portfolios', 'textdomain'),
        'add_new_item'          => __('Add New Portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'add_new'               => __('Add New', 'textdomain'),
        'new_item'              => __('New Portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'edit_item'             => __('Edit Portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'update_item'           => __('Update Portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'view_item'             => __('View Portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'view_items'            => __('View Portfolios', 'textdomain'),
        'search_items'          => __('Search Portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'not_found'             => __('Not found', 'textdomain'),
        'not_found_in_trash'    => __('Not found in Trash', 'textdomain'),
        'featured_image'        => __('Featured Image', 'textdomain'),
        'set_featured_image'    => __('Set featured image', 'textdomain'),
        'remove_featured_image' => __('Remove featured image', 'textdomain'),
        'use_featured_image'    => __('Use as featured image', 'textdomain'),
        'insert_into_item'      => __('Insert into portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'uploaded_to_this_item' => __('Uploaded to this portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'items_list'            => __('Portfolios list', 'textdomain'),
        'items_list_navigation' => __('Portfolios list navigation', 'textdomain'),
        'filter_items_list'     => __('Filter portfolios list', 'textdomain'),
    );

    $args = array(
        'label'                 => __('Portfolio', 'textdomain'),
        'description'           => __('A custom post type for portfolio items', 'textdomain'),
        'labels'                => $labels,
        'supports'              => array('title', 'editor', 'thumbnail', 'custom-fields'),
        'hierarchical'          => false,
        'public'                => true,
        'show_ui'               => true,
        'show_in_menu'          => true,
        'menu_position'         => 5,
        'menu_icon'             => 'dashicons-portfolio',
        'show_in_admin_bar'     => true,
        'show_in_nav_menus'     => true,
        'can_export'            => true,
        'has_archive'           => true,
        'exclude_from_search'   => false,
        'publicly_queryable'    => true,
        'rewrite'               => array('slug' => 'portfolio'),
        'capability_type'       => 'post',
    );
    register_post_type('portfolio', $args);
}
add_action('init', 'register_portfolio_post_type');

Save and test. Once you’ve saved your changes, look for your new post type in the WordPress sidebar.

Alternatively, you can do away with the whole child theme business and create a custom plugin, applying the same code we suggested above. Here’s our guide on how to get started with custom plugins!

Popular Custom Post Types

The reason custom post types are so powerful is that they are truly custom. If you can dream it, you can build it.

That said, there are a few post types that regularly pop up on WordPress sites. 

Before you start trying to design something from scratch, it’s worth checking whether one of the formats below would meet your requirements.

• Portfolio item: You could use a template that shows off individual images or one that packages project descriptions and outcomes in a case study format.
• Testimonial: With a testimonial CPT, you could add star ratings and company logos. It would also allow you to organize testimonials without using blog categories.
• Event: It’s possible to advertise events on a page, but you may have to use a cocktail of plugins to display dates, location maps, and RSVP options. A custom event post type could have these functions built in.
• Product: If you’re trying to build an e-commerce store, having a dedicated template for showing off your products is essential. 
• Listing: The same goes for other listings, such as real estate and classifieds. Creating a separate CPT lets you set up a bespoke template and keep your listings neatly organized.

As you plan upgrades to your site, consider whether these custom post types would fit your needs — or whether you need something completely custom!

How To Display Your Custom Post Types

Having registered the new CPTs, you need to decide how and where they should appear on your site.

The options here are literally unlimited. And that can feel a bit overwhelming.

If you’re not sure where to begin, try this starter pack:

Add Custom Post Types to Your Site Menu

There’s no point using custom posts if no one can find them.

In your WordPress admin area, navigate to Appearance > Menus and add the new CPT archive to your main menu.

Be sure to change the label to make it clear what visitors can expect.

Creating Dedicated Templates

You probably don’t want your new custom posts to be served up exactly like blog posts. That includes the archive page, where visitors can see your latest content.

Creating a new template gives you the chance to build your own layout.

1. Visit your theme directory: Access your theme files via FTP or your WordPress theme editor.
2. Create a new template file: Name your file using this format: archive-{post_type}.php. For example, you could name it archive-movies.php. 
3. Customize the new template: Here’s your chance to get creative. Write or modify the code to include featured images, excerpts, custom fields, and more.
4. Style that thing: Add your own CSS rules or integrate your design framework to match the branding of your website.
5. Test, test, test: Make sure your new template is looking good on all devices.

Need some inspiration? Check out other websites to see how they present similar content!

Display Posts in Widgets

Did you know you can display your custom posts in any widget area? All you need is a free plugin called Custom Post Type Widgets.

After you install and activate the plugin, head over to Appearance > Widgets and add a new widget.

From the big menu on the left, find and select Archives (Custom Post Type).

You can then configure your widget to display any post type you want!

💡Top tip: This plugin also lets you display recent posts, a calendar view, a tag cloud, and more.

Upgrade Your WordPress Site Today

WordPress is amazingly versatile. From code to quizzes, it can handle pretty much any type of content. But, as we’ve learned, things can get messy when you mix and match content types.

If you want to create something more than standard posts and pages, it’s definitely worth using custom post types to keep your content tidy. The process is really easy, and it will instantly improve the usability of your site.

While you’re thinking about upgrades…have you heard about our dedicated WordPress hosting?

Our plans offer one-click staging, bulletproof backups, built-in caching, and a performance boost from BunnyCDN. Plus, you get free migration. It’s everything you need to take your WordPress site to the next level!

Sign up today to give your business website the hosting it deserves.

WordPress Hosting

WordPress + DreamHost

Our automatic updates and strong security defenses take server management off your hands so you can focus on creating a great website.

Check Out Plans

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The post Decoding WordPress: Your Complete Guide to Custom Post Types appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

By the 25th time you answer, “What’s your product return window?” you wish you could clone yourself just to answer the same customer questions over and over. But even worse, the customer asking, “How can your product solve my very important business problem?” is waiting for an answer while you’re tied up with all the FAQs.

The good news: a well-crafted FAQ page can take over the heavy lifting for you, serving as a round-the-clock support rep that addresses shoppers’ lingering doubts, confusion, or hesitations before they ever need to hit “Contact Us.” Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or a small team already juggling a million tasks, an FAQ page is one of the most effective ways to keep customer service stress at bay while helping to boost sales.

In this guide, we’ll break down exactly how to brainstorm, structure, and refine your FAQ page so it actually reduces support tickets (rather than just listing random questions). By the end, you’ll know how to pick the best questions, write answers that convert skeptics into buyers, and measure whether your new FAQ is truly taking a load off your inbox.

What Is an FAQ Page?

An FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page is a dedicated section on your website that provides quick, straightforward answers to the queries your customers and prospects ask most often. Think of it as a first-stop resource for users who want instant clarity — whether it’s about shipping timelines, return policies, product features, or other details about your services.

Beyond simply rattling off answers, an FAQ page can be a powerful trust-building tool. When people see you’ve taken the time to anticipate their needs, they feel supported —and when they feel supported, they’re more likely to click “Buy Now.”

Why Do You Need an FAQ Page?

You might be thinking, “I’ve got a contact form for questions; isn’t that enough?” In reality, an FAQ page adds unique value by giving people quick answers on their own terms. Here are a few reasons why an FAQ is a must-have for any small business website.

1. To Answer Common Customer Questions

Ever notice you get the same five or six queries week after week? Maybe it’s “Do you ship internationally?” or “Can I cancel my subscription anytime?”

By creating an FAQ page, you tackle these FAQs head-on, saving your future self (and your team) from repetitive support queries.

2. To Provide 24/7 Support

Even if you’re a one-person show, your FAQ page works tirelessly around the clock. Night owls shopping at 2 a.m. don’t have to wait hours for a response. They can find answers on the spot, which keeps potential buyers from drifting to a more transparent competitor.

3. To Build Trust and Confidence in Your Brand

Customers are more likely to buy from businesses that seem transparent and organized. Having an FAQ page that addresses typical concerns — from return policies to manufacturing processes — shows you’ve got nothing to hide. It’s a subtle but powerful trust signal.

4. To Market Your Brand

Yes, FAQs can also do marketing for you. Think about it: If your brand’s biggest selling point is “We use 100% organic cotton,” your FAQ is a perfect place to highlight that fact. A little brand personality sprinkled into your Q&A section can transform a mundane FAQ into a mini sales pitch — without feeling sales-y.

The Cost of a Bad FAQ Page

A poorly executed FAQ page can be worse than none at all. If your answers are hidden, outdated, or incomplete, you risk frustrating your users and increasing the volume of “Help, I still don’t get it” emails. Worse yet, you might actually lose credibility if visitors think, “If they can’t even manage a simple FAQ, can I trust them with my money?”

Some risks of a bad FAQ page include:

• Missed sales – You may miss out on impulse buyers who just needed a nudge to finalize checkout. If they can’t quickly confirm shipping rates or product specs, they could bail, and your competitor might end up with their business.
• Overburdened support – When your FAQ page is unhelpful or disorganized, customers will still resort to emailing you directly. That adds up to more admin work, less time for product development or marketing, and potentially slower responses.
• Damaged credibility – A neglected FAQ page sends the message that you don’t care about your customers’ top concerns. Even if that’s not true, the perception alone can be enough to make users think twice about buying from you.

What Questions Belong on an FAQ Page?

The difference between an FAQ that genuinely helps users and one that’s just “meh” often lies in the relevance of the questions you include. So, how do you figure out what belongs on your page? Look for questions to include in the places below:

1. Common Customer Queries

Start by compiling questions you’ve seen in emails, social media DMs, or live chats. If multiple people have asked the same thing, it’s a prime candidate for your FAQ. This approach directly tackles real-life pain points, so it’s a great first step.

2. Google and Quora Questions

Sometimes, potential customers don’t ask you directly — they Google their questions or browse Q&A sites like Quora, Reddit, or niche forums. A quick search for your product or service can reveal issues people commonly face, which you can then address in your FAQ.

3. Competitors’ Websites

If your competitors have FAQ pages, they’re great places to look for inspiration. But don’t just blindly copy your competitor’s FAQ; use it for inspiration on what your shared audience might be curious about. Pay attention to how they group topics, which ones they prioritize, and any potential gaps you can fill to differentiate your brand.

How To Create an FAQ Page That Works in 7 Steps

Now that you know why you need an FAQ and which questions to include, let’s talk about how to build one that’s both functional and user-friendly.

Step 1: Organize Your Questions by Theme

Rather than dumping every question into a single, scrolling wall of text, break them into logical categories. Examples might include:

• Shipping and returns
• Product and usage
• Billing and payment
• Company information

This helps visitors jump straight to the info they want without sifting through irrelevant topics. If you run an e-commerce store, you could even subdivide by product lines or target certain common issues (like sizing or ingredients).

Step 2: Write Clear, Concise Answers

An FAQ page shouldn’t read like a novel. Keep it straightforward so it’s easy for customers to find the information they need (and quickly).

• Use short paragraphs or bullet points: Big text blocks can feel overwhelming.
• Be consistent with your tone: Whether you’re a lively, cheeky brand or more buttoned-up, make sure the writing style reflects your personality and stays consistent from one question to the next.
• Address the question directly: Start by restating the question briefly, and then offer the solution or explanation.

Step 3: Incorporate Visual or Video Elements (Optional, but Powerful)

Some people need to see how something works. If you often get questions like, “How do I assemble X?” or “Where do I find my account details?”, consider embedding a brief video clip or animated GIF. A picture can save a thousand words (and a bunch of support emails).

Groomer’s Choice, a company that specializes in pet grooming supplies and equipment, incorporates video into its FAQs to add an extra layer of clarity and understanding.

Step 4: Cross-Link to Deeper Resources

Your FAQ answers don’t have to be exhaustive if you link to in-depth resources. For example, if you have a blog post offering an advanced how-to for one of your popular products, mention and link to it in a relevant FAQ answer. Not only does this prevent clutter, but it also helps with internal linking for better SEO.

Step 5: Use Internal Search Functionality or Accordions

If your FAQ page is large, consider:

• Adding on-page search – A simple search bar that filters FAQ entries by keyword can be a lifesaver for visitors with highly specific queries.
• Accordion layouts – Click-to-expand answers keep the page organized while letting users see all available questions at a glance.

Step 6: Provide a Contact Option for Unanswered Questions

Even the best FAQ won’t cover every edge case. Let people know they can still reach out by email or phone if needed. A polite “Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Contact us here!” can be a final safety net that reassures users you’ve got them covered.

Step 7: Keep It Updated

Your business evolves — so should your FAQ. Set a reminder every quarter (or monthly if you’re rapidly changing) to check:

• Customer feedback – For new issues or recurring customer questions.
• Statistics or policies – For example, did your shipping times change? Adjust the FAQ accordingly.
• Product updates – If you’re launching a new feature, add relevant Qs and As.

Examples of Exceptional FAQ Pages

Seeing how other businesses nail their FAQs can spark inspiration. Here are a few standouts:

Airbnb

Airbnb organizes questions by user type (hosts vs. guests) and has a powerful search function. It also surfaces trending or seasonal queries (like COVID-19 policies) so users see the most relevant information immediately.

Segmenting by user category helps visitors navigate quickly, especially if your audience has distinct user groups.

ASOS

ASOS focuses on what shoppers need right now, such as order tracking and returns. Answers are broken down in collapsible sections with concise bullet points and direct links to relevant answers.

Prioritizing top concerns (returns, shipping, sizing) addresses buyer anxieties upfront, which can reduce cart abandonment and boost sales!

FAQ Page Checklist

Before you launch (or overhaul) your FAQ page, run through this short checklist to make sure you hit all the key points to make it successful.

• Identify core questions: Gather top queries from emails, social media, Google searches, and competitor sites.
• Group questions by category: Make it easy for users to scan topics like shipping, billing, or product usage.
• Write straightforward answers: Use bullet points, short paragraphs, and brand-consistent language.
• Add visuals or links: Consider including step-by-step images, short videos, or links to more detailed resources.
• Make it organized and/or searchable: Use accordions, search bars, or clearly labeled headings to reduce clutter.
• Provide a contact option: Offer a fallback method for edge cases or complicated questions.
• Review and update regularly: Schedule periodic check-ins to ensure the info stays accurate and relevant.

Bring Your FAQ Page to Life With DreamHost

Now that you have a blueprint for creating an FAQ page that does far more than fill space on your website, you can cut down on repetitive support requests (freeing you to focus on growing your business), build trust, and nudge visitors toward that “Buy” button.

But none of this matters unless you have somewhere reliable to put your FAQ page (and the rest of your website). DreamHost offers reliable hosting, seamless site-building tools, and other resources for business owners to build the perfect foundation for an FAQ page that shines.

Don’t let endless customer queries slow you down. Start drafting your FAQ with the steps we’ve covered, and watch your business serve customers even when you’re off the clock!

Pro Services – Web Design

DreamHost Makes Web Design Easy

Our designers can create a gorgeous website from SCRATCH to perfectly match your brand and vision — all coded with WordPress so you can manage your content going forward.

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The post How To Create an FAQ Page That Actually Reduces Customer Support Requests appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

It’s meant to compress photos on your site, so pages don’t load at a glacial speed.

So far, you’ve kinda ignored the whole idea. Fair play — it doesn’t make a huge difference until your site is fully formed.

But now, the time has come to do something. Your arch nemesis…um, we mean…your nearest competitor is absolutely trouncing your site in the performance wars. It’s time to fight back.

Squoosh is one of the best tools at your disposal. It’s free, open source, and easy to use.

In this guide, we’re going to look at how to use Squoosh to compress images and reduce your load times. Let’s get going!

How To Optimize Images With Squoosh in 30 Seconds

Let’s get straight to business.

You can start optimizing images for your site very quickly.

Head over to https://squoosh.app.

Click on the big pink blob at the top of the page, and select the image you want to compress.

You’ll then enter a preview screen, with a settings panel in the bottom right.

Here, you can choose to resize your image, reduce the color palette, change the quality, and select your preferred output file type.

Below that, a counter tells you how much smaller your new file will be.

As you select different options, you can move the slider in the middle of your screen to see the effect on image quality. On the left is a zoomed-in view of your original image; on the right is a preview of your compressed version.

Looking good? Download your compressed image by tapping the blue blob in the bottom right. This is ready to add to your website.

Boom, done.

Pro Tip: Want to speed things up for the next image? Tap the little “cog” icon in the control panel. This will save your current settings as a preset, which you can load later by tapping the other cog icon.

Getting To Know Squoosh a Little Better

That’s the short version, but there’s a whole lot more to Squoosh.

This open-source image compression tool was actually developed by the folks at Google. It’s available both as a web app and a browser add-on for Chrome.

If you’re feeling techy, you can also download Squoosh from GitHub and run it offline via the command line.

Squoosh supports PNG, JPG, TIFF, GIF, and many more formats. Every version is free to use, and the app handles compression locally. That’s good news for privacy, because images never leave your machine.

Learning How To Use Squoosh Like a Pro

The other great thing about Squoosh is that it offers loads of control. You just need to know how to navigate the control panel.

Let’s take a quick tour.

When you first load an image into Squoosh, you’ll see just four options on the control panel:

Resize

If you’re planning to use an image for a thumbnail, you don’t need full resolution. You can flick this toggle to change the image size.

Put in the pixel count you want, but leave the default options selected unless you have a good reason. Make sure “Maintain Aspect Ratio” is selected to avoid warping!

Reduce Palette

Many images don’t actually contain that many colors. This option lets you throw away hues to reduce file size.

That “Dithering” slider? It essentially creates a noise pattern to disguise the reduced color palette.

Note: This technique is best used on designs rather than photos, since photos can end up looking like bad photocopies.

Format

Under the “Compress” label, you can select an output format for your image. The options fall into two main categories.

• Lossy (e.g., JPG, GIF): These formats discard tiny bits of your image to save space. You generally won’t notice the difference, unless you want something with really high resolution.
• Lossless (e.g., PNG, AVIF): In contrast, lossless formats find ways to reduce file size without affecting the quality of your image.

As a general rule, lossy is fine for simple graphics, while lossless is better for crisp icons and detailed photos.

Quality

If you choose a lossy format, you’ll also see this slider. It runs from 0 (squashing your image flat) to 100 (no change).

Before saving your image, we would recommend moving this slider and seeing the effect in the preview area. To get a nice, small file, move the slider as far left as you can without creating ugly artefacts.

If you’re converting to WebP, you’ll also see an “Effort” slider. This controls how thoroughly Squoosh will analyze your image before deciding how to apply compression. Choose a higher number if you have details you want to keep.

Advanced Settings

Depending on the output format you select, you may have access to more options under the “Advanced settings” tab.

Unless you have a Ph.D. in image editing, these settings are best avoided.

Quick Tips for Squeezing More Out of Squoosh

Overall, Squoosh is super easy to use. And honestly, the section above contains everything you really have to know about the app.

But we see you, reader. You want to become a god of image compression, don’t you?

Well, here are some pro tips that will help you reach that immortal status.

• Drag and drop: Don’t bother with the file menu. Just drag your image right into Squoosh.
• Know your formats: Use WebP for modern browsers, MozJPEG for photos, and OptiPNG for graphics. Remember, AVIF is the new kid on the block; check which browsers can handle it.
• Size matters: Compress for quality, not just file size. If your image goes from looking like a masterpiece to a kindergarten art project, take a step back and adjust those settings.
• Effort counts: Crank up that effort slider for PNGs and WebP to squeeze every last bit out of the file size without dramatically impacting quality. 
• “Reduce Palette” is your friend: How many different colors does your image contain? If it’s pretty simple, you can save a lot of space by moving the “Reduce Palette” slider to the left.

Remember, every MB saved means less waiting time for your users!

How To Manage Website Images for Better Performance

While Squoosh can shrink your images to a more manageable size, it’s not a catch-all fix.

Follow these guidelines to make sure your compressed images deliver the performance boost you’re hoping for!

• Use a CDN: Content delivery networks (CDNs) are optimized for media, and they take pressure off your host’s servers.
• Think carefully about file types: It’s easy to make all images the same. But your choice of file should match the requirements of each image on your site.
• Remove unneeded metadata: Does your image need to be lugging around location and camera information? Probably not.
• Try using sprites: Instead of using one big image with a repeating pattern, you may be able to use a tiny sprite multiple times instead. That could really speed things up!

If you’re curious about all the ways you can implement image optimization, our blog is absolutely stacked with helpful tutorials. Here are some of the highlights:

• So Long, JPG: Here’s How To Optimize Images for the Modern Web (WebP, SVG, and More)
• How To Fix 16 Common Image Issues in WordPress
• Common WordPress Image Upload Issues And How To Fix Them (5 Methods)

Squoosh Alternatives: The Best Image Compression Tools

Squoosh is a great starting point for compressing and optimizing images for your website. However, there are other options out there:

• TinyPNG: This web app instantly compresses images while retaining impressive quality. It’s free for batch uploads of 20 images or fewer; you can unlock more for $39 per month.
• ShortPixel: If you own a WordPress website, this plugin lets you compress images right from your admin area. It’s free for up to 100 images a month. 
• ImageOptim: One for the Mac owners. This open-source app lets you compress batches of images on your computer. And it’s totally free!
• Kraken.io: This powerful image compression tool works quite like Squoosh, albeit without the nice preview display. Oh, and it’s only free for files up to 1MB in size.
• JPEGmini: Work with a lot of high-quality photos? With a quick drag and drop, this desktop app lets you reduce the file size of JPGs by up to 80%.

Make Your Site Run More Smoothly Today

Optimizing images is a chore. But it’s worth the effort when your pages load at lightning speed. Plus, it’s not too much effort when you have a tool like Squoosh.

Of course, images aren’t the only cause of slow page loading. Your hosting plan could be to blame.

Want something that offers more reliable performance? At DreamHost, all our plans come with 100% guaranteed uptime and unlimited bandwidth. That means your site will never wobble under pressure.

Want to give it a go? Sign up today to feel the difference!

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Get Your Site Up to Speed

With 20+ years of experience supporting millions of sites, we’ve perfected a process to make your website super fast at an affordable price.

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The post How To Optimize Images for the Web Using Squoosh.app appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

You’re not alone —like the high school group projects that still give you nightmares, every blog has a few posts that simply refuse to pull their weight. Underperformers can silently drag down the overall success of your site, taking you from the A+ you deserve to a B…or C…or worse. Luckily, Google Analytics 4 (GA4) can help you weed out the slackers and turn them into traffic-driving superstars.

In this post, we’ll walk through a simple tutorial for finding your underperforming blog posts, plus some tips and best practices for how to fix them.

We’ll also explore why some pieces of content just don’t perform as expected and how to decide whether a stale post should be refreshed or pruned altogether.

Let’s get started!

What Is an Underperforming Blog Post?

An underperforming blog post is a piece of blog content on your site that doesn’t meet the goals or benchmarks you’ve set. For some small business owners, the main objective might be generating leads or sales. Others might prioritize brand awareness, meaning they’re looking for a high number of page views.

It’s important at the conception of your post to determine what purpose your post will serve. Having a clearly defined purpose will lead you to the metrics you need to monitor performance.

Setting Your Own Benchmarks

Before labeling a post a “failure,” you need to clarify what success looks like for your blog. Some common goals (and the metrics that track them) include:

• Traffic and page views: If you rely on ads or brand recognition, you might track simple traffic metrics.
• Engagement and time on page: For a blog that aims to build authority, measure engagement rate or average engagement time.
• Conversions and leads: If you sell products or services, look at how many newsletter signups or purchases a post drives.

Every niche has different performance expectations, so don’t get hung up on arbitrary standards. A blog about handcrafted ceramic mugs might do just fine with 1,000 monthly views, while a blog focused on digital marketing might expect much more.

Determine what “good enough” is for your unique business context.

How To Decide What “Underperforming” Means for You

Ultimately, the decision on whether a post is underperforming should align with your overarching business objectives. Consider the following:

• Relevance: Is the post still relevant to your products, services, or mission?
• Traffic vs. conversion ratio: A post might get decent traffic but fail to convert readers into customers (or vice versa).
• Comparisons within your site: Take a look at the performance of other posts in the same category. If one stands out as a dud compared to the rest, it’s underperforming relative to your own internal standards.

Reasons Blog Posts Underperform

If you’ve determined that certain posts aren’t meeting expectations, it’s time to get curious about why. It usually boils down to one or more of these common issues.

Outdated Information

The internet moves fast. If your post references tools or industry practices that have changed, readers may bounce when they realize the information isn’t current. Fresh, accurate content is key to retaining reader trust.

Weak Keyword Targeting

Perhaps the post isn’t optimized for the right keywords or lacks a clear focus. That makes it difficult for search engines to figure out what your page is about — and in turn, rank it well.

Poor Readability or Bad UX

Large blocks of text without subheadings, bullet points, or visuals can overwhelm readers. A post that offers a bad user experience or is otherwise cumbersome to read can lead to high bounce rates —especially on mobile devices.

Lack of Promotion

Even the best content can wither away if no one knows it exists. Underperforming posts may be undiscovered gems waiting for strategic social sharing or internal linking.

Make sure you have a presence on the social media platforms where your customers are, and repurpose your blog content into bite-sized content morsels to get customers excited to click-thru!

Also, don’t forget that a great email campaign can also help steer customer attention. There’s a lot of great campaign platforms for every budget out there. From Mailchimp for smaller campaigns all the way to big enterprise platforms like Klaviyo (which we love here at DH), many of these providers provide excellent campaign metrics to help gauge campaign effectiveness.

Misalignment With Your Target Audience

If the post doesn’t address your audience’s pain points or interests, they’ll likely skip it. It’s crucial to understand your readers’ needs, which means identifying your target audience and creating content that resonates with them.

Don’t forget to be an active, engaging participant in the online communities your customers frequent. This is a win-win as it will help you to better understand your customers while lending your brand authenticity!

Competition and Saturation

Some topics are just too heavily covered already. If your blog post doesn’t stand out from the crowd, it may remain hidden on page two (or beyond) of search results.

How To Find Underperforming Blog Posts Using GA4

Now that we’ve identified what makes content underperform, it’s time to dig into your analytics and find those posts that need attention. Let’s walk through the process step by step.

Set Up Your Analytics View

We’re going to be using the Life cycle reports collection in GA4. Make sure you have this enabled in your GA4 instance. 

In the GA4 reports section, click the Library button at the bottom of the nav bar and make sure the Life cycle reports collection is published.

Start in GA4 by navigating to Reports > Engagement > Pages and screens.

This view serves as your content dashboard, displaying performance metrics for every page on your site.

If you have categorized your blog under a subdirectory, you can use the search filter for your blog directory (typically “/blog/” or “/articles/”).

Now, let’s move over to analyzing traffic patterns.

Analyze Traffic Patterns

Add a filter for “Session medium = organic” if you want to only analyze traffic from search engines. You can also look for organic social, direct traffic, etc.

With your view configured, examine your traffic patterns carefully. Click the Views column to sort the rows in ascending or descending order based on the views.

As you’ll see from the above screenshot, we have quite a few blog posts that have received just a single click over the last 90 days or so.

Look for posts like these that receive significantly fewer views than your site’s average — these are your potential underperformers.

Quick pro tip: The Session source/medium dimension can be used to further breakdown exactly where your traffic is coming from. For example with Session medium set to organic, we can use Session source/medium as another breakdown dimension to see exactly where that search traffic is coming from.

Evaluate Engagement Metrics

Traffic tells only part of the story. You also need to look at engagement metrics. These will tell you whether your content resonates with readers.

Monitor posts where visitors spend less than 60 seconds or posts where there are fewer events compared to the average that you observe for your website. Events can be clicks on different links, interactions with your website pop-up, etc.

These numbers often indicate content that isn’t meeting reader expectations or needs structural improvements.

Review Conversion Performance

Switch to Life cycle > Acquisition > Traffic acquisition to understand how well your posts convert visitors into customers or subscribers.

This analysis often reveals surprising insights: some posts with moderate traffic might drive significant conversions, while high-traffic posts might fail to convert at all.

As you’ll see in the above report screenshot, the highest-performing posts don’t actually generate any revenue.

However, they do bring in visitors who might move further down the funnel during their visit. It couldn’t hurt to check to see if these posts add additional value to the website.

Create Custom Reports

You don’t have to rely solely on the default reports. GA4 is very flexible and allows you to create custom reports with the data you need on a single screen.

You can customize the columns and data points you see in a report by clicking the Customize report icon on any report you’re already on.

You can add more columns or dimensions by clicking through the Metrics or Dimensions under the “REPORT DATA” section.

For instance, if you pick “Metrics,” you should see the following screen with the option to add new metrics.

This can help you develop more nuanced reports to understand your content’s performance.

For example:

• Traffic sources and their relative performance.
• Engagement duration across different content types.
• Conversion patterns and user journeys.

This detailed analysis helps identify posts that might excel in one area but need improvement in others.

If search performance is a priority for you, consider Google Search Console data. It can provide more search-specific data, such as keywords, click-through rates, average position, and page-specific search data.

Here, you want to look for:

• Posts with high impressions but click-through rates under 2%, indicating weak titles or meta descriptions
• Content ranking beyond page one of search results, which means you need to work on search engine optimization
• Seasonal content that requires updating before peak relevancy periods

How To Fix Underperforming Blog Posts

Once you’ve identified the slackers, the question becomes: “Do I pull these weeds or water them?” Do you delete or redirect a post entirely, or do you give it new life by updating, optimizing, and promoting it?

Step 1: Prune or Revive?

Before you dive in with edits, it’s important to determine whether a post is truly worth saving. Some pieces may be too outdated, off-brand, or irrelevant to your audience to justify the effort — in which case, removing or redirecting them might be the better option.

Other posts, however, have plenty of potential if you make a few well-placed improvements.

How To Decide

Prune (delete or redirect) if…

A topic is no longer relevant, and no amount of editing will bring it back into alignment with your business goals. Or perhaps the data within the post is so outdated that it no longer holds value for modern readers (think references to defunct products or platforms). If the content doesn’t match your brand’s core focus anymore, consider using a 301 redirect to point it to a more helpful resource on your site. This preserves any lingering SEO value and eliminates dead ends for visitors.

Revive (update and optimize) if…

The post aligns with your audience’s interests and your brand’s messaging but simply needs a refresh. It might still have some decent traffic or rank for relevant keywords (even if it’s stuck on page two of search results), or maybe it gets plenty of page views but fails to convert. In cases like these, a strategic revision can significantly boost performance.

Taking the time to categorize each underperforming piece of content will help you focus your energy where it’s most effective. If you remove every old post without a second thought, you might lose hidden gems. Conversely, trying to update everything could waste time on content that no longer serves your business.

Step 2: Refresh the Content

When you’ve decided a piece is worth reviving, it’s time to give it a thorough makeover. Think of this like renovating a house: you’re keeping the core structure, but modernizing the decor, upgrading the appliances, and fixing any broken parts.

Update Facts, Figures, and Examples

If readers see outdated stats or references to old tech, they may question the article’s overall credibility. Instead:

1. Replace old data with current statistics: If you originally cited research from 2017, look for the most recent studies to show your piece is relevant in 2025 and beyond.
2. Mention new trends or technologies: Demonstrate that your post reflects the latest and greatest in your niche.
3. Refresh images and screenshots: If your post contains screenshots of old interfaces or references to user flows that no longer exist, replace them to match current experiences.

Optimize Keywords and Headings

Many underperforming posts fail to gain traction because search engines can’t easily match them to user queries. To fix this:

1. Research current keywords: Use tools like Google Keyword Planner or third-party platforms (Ahrefs, Semrush, etc.) to find relevant terms and questions people ask about your topic.
2. Sprinkle keywords naturally: Once you identify the right terms, weave them into your headings, subheadings, and main text. Avoid forced repetition or “keyword stuffing,” which can harm readability and rankings.
3. Revamp your title and H1: Often, a more compelling or concise title can improve click-through rates from search results. Make sure your title clearly states what the post is about and entices users to click.

Improve Readability

Even if your content is loaded with facts and figures, poor readability can quickly turn off visitors. Here are a few steps to keep readers engaged:

1. Use short paragraphs and sentences: Readers often skim before they commit to reading. Chunking your text into smaller paragraphs helps them absorb the content without feeling overwhelmed.
2. Break up sections with subheadings: A scannable format makes it easy to jump right to the info they need.
3. Incorporate visuals or multimedia: Photos, charts, infographics, or embedded videos can illustrate points more effectively than text alone.

These readability tips are just the beginning of creating engaging blog content. From finding your voice to structuring your posts, there’s always more to learn about the craft of blog writing.

Step 3: Re-Promote Strategically

Once you’ve updated and optimized your content, it’s time to make sure the world knows. Even the highest-quality content can underperform if no one discovers it. This step is all about reintroducing your revised blog posts to existing followers and attracting new readers.

Share it across your own social media networks. If you have a mailing list, let subscribers know you’ve refreshed an article they might find helpful. Briefly explain why it matters and include a clear link to the updated post. Including updated graphics or interesting pull quotes can catch attention in a crowded social feed or inbox.

You should also strengthen the article’s internal linking if possible. Internal links can help Google understand your site’s structure and signal which pages are most valuable. They also direct readers from one relevant post to another, increasing overall engagement.

To optimize internal linking:

1. Identify related posts: Look for older posts that complement your refreshed content.
2. Add contextual links: Within your article, link key phrases to pages that expand on those topics.
3. Create a network of cross-references: Encourage binge-reading by weaving in links naturally and consistently throughout your site.

Step 4: Improve Conversions

Traffic is important, but if your blog posts aren’t converting visitors into leads, customers, or subscribers, you’re missing a key piece of the puzzle. An underperforming post might already be attracting decent traffic but failing to inspire action.

Here’s how to fix that:

Add Clear, Compelling Calls to Action (CTAs)

A strong CTA guides the reader toward the next logical step — whether that’s downloading a free resource, signing up for a webinar, or making a purchase.

To make CTAs more effective:

1. Use action-oriented language: Phrases like “Get Started Today” or “Claim Your Free Trial” can help motivate clicks.
2. Place CTAs strategically: Don’t hide your CTA at the bottom of a long post where readers may never see it. Insert buttons or links in logical spots throughout the content.
3. Highlight the benefits: Instead of simply stating features, show how your offer solves a pain point or delivers a desired outcome.

Another way to up conversions is by improving your user experience (UX). That means strategies like making your site mobile-friendly. More people now browse on mobile than desktop, so maximize your page load times because slow sites frustrate users and drive them away. (If you’re struggling with speed, DreamHost’s fully managed hosting solutions might help you out.)

Step 5: Measure Results After Updates

Finally, it’s time to circle back to GA4 and see if your hard work is paying off. By revisiting your newly updated posts’ performance, you can determine if your fixes have made a difference — and refine your approach based on real-world data.

Check your metrics over time. See if new social shares, email campaigns, or improved SEO are driving additional visitors. If certain updates haven’t moved the needle yet, you can experiment further — try new keywords, adjust your CTAs, or even ask a segment of your audience what they think. Hearing readers’ perspectives can reveal hidden opportunities to improve.

Evaluating the data helps you refine your content strategy. You don’t need to get everything perfect on the first try — continuous optimization is the name of the game.

Nurture Your Content Garden With DreamHost

Underperforming blog posts aren’t dead ends; they’re opportunities. By using GA4 to spot the weak links, and then carefully deciding whether to prune or refresh each piece, you can transform underperformers into real contributors to your site’s success. Whether it’s updating outdated info, fine-tuning your keywords, or strategically promoting your content across various channels, each step you take helps you build a stronger, more engaging blog.

It all comes down to this: quality over quantity. By focusing on the posts that truly matter and making them shine, you’ll attract the right audience, reduce bounce rates, and encourage more sign-ups or sales. Keeping a close eye on your data means you’re always improving — and that’s how a content “garden” truly flourishes.

Ready to grow even more?

DreamHost is here to help you create a thriving online presence, whether you’re starting a brand-new blog or optimizing your existing site. With affordable, reliable hosting solutions and helpful resources at your fingertips, you’ll have the support you need to manage your content more efficiently and effectively.

So, roll up your sleeves, dig into your analytics, and start transforming those underperforming posts into powerful assets for your business!

The post How To Use GA4 To Find and Fix Underperforming Blog Posts appeared first on DreamHost Blog.

A WordPress contact form helps by routing inquiries into one place. Instead of scattered messages showing up from unknown email addresses, visitors simply fill out a short form, and you get the details you need within the dashboard.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll see how to add a no-code contact form to your WordPress site and how to optimize it for the best results.

Why Use WordPress Contact Forms?

A site represents your brand.

When people want to reach you, a form sends a message that you value communication. An open email link can add unnecessary obstacles to reaching your team and even lead to spam.

A form‌ is a single channel that keeps requests organized and often filters out junk with CAPTCHA or anti-spam plugins like Askimet.

Also, contact forms capture the required details upfront. For instance, a real estate agent might want prospective clients to share their budget range, home requirements, or preferred areas. Or an online shop might need an order number so they can quickly check the shipment status.

A contact form captures these details quickly, saving time, reducing guesswork, and making your business look more polished.

Best Tools To Create a Contact Form (No-Code Plugins)

Most WordPress users rely on plugins to avoid writing code. You’ll find many form builders, each with a slightly different approach.

WPForms, Contact Form 7, and Ninja Forms are a few popular examples. They’re known for user-friendly options and the ability to add a form to any page or post.

• WPForms stands out for its visual drag-and-drop builder and quick setup. It includes built-in templates like a standard contact form, a feedback form, or a newsletter signup. This is often the first pick for new WordPress users. 
• Contact Form 7 is free and well-loved, though it looks dated by default and it can take some effort to make it look good. 
• Ninja Forms is another drag-and-drop choice with a wide range of add-ons.

Picking a plugin usually depends on your experience and needs.

If you only want a simple contact form, you can’t go wrong with any of these.

If you plan to add payment gateways, registration forms, or advanced features, check each plugin’s add-on library before you decide.

Step-by-Step: Setting Up a WordPress Contact Form

Plenty of new WordPress users worry they need coding skills. That’s not the case with a well-built form plugin.

Here’s a closer look at each phase, using WPForms as an example.

Step 1: Install and Activate the Plugin

Go to your WordPress dashboard, which should be <yourdomain.com>/wp-admin — unless you’ve changed it to strengthen security.

Click Plugins on the left > Add New Plugin.

Type “WPForms” in the search bar and hit Install Now.

When WordPress is done installing, click Activate. WPForms will now appear in your dashboard menu!

Step 2: Create Your First Form

Click the WPForms menu link and then select Add New.

The plugin shows you a few templates, like a simple contact form or a newsletter signup.

Pick the basic contact form to start. You’ll see fields such as “Name,” “Email,” and a big text box for the message.

If you need extra fields (maybe a dropdown to let users pick a topic), you can drag and drop them from the left panel.

Step 3: Configure the Form Settings

Select Settings within the form builder. You’ll see choices for “Notifications” and “Confirmations.”

Click Notifications to set the email address where messages should go.

If you want a certain subject line, add that too. You can use something like “New Inquiry from WordPress Form” so you know when a new inquiry drops in your inbox from this contact form.

Then check Confirmations.

That’s the message visitors see after they submit. You could say, “Thank you for contacting us. We’ll reply soon!” or customize the message according to your brand voice.

Step 4: Embed the Form on a Page or Post

Go to the WordPress editor for any page or post.

If you’re using the block editor, you’ll see a WPForms block. Insert it, then pick your form from a list.

Here’s another method: copy the shortcode from WPForms and paste it into the editor.

It looks like [wpforms id=”1234″]. Save or publish your changes.

Voila, your form is live!

Step 5: Test the Form

A quick test avoids headaches later. Open the live page and fill out the form with a test name, email, and a short message. Click Submit.

The page should show the confirmation you set up. Then check your email to see if the notification arrived.

If you don’t see it, look in your spam folder or verify that your email address is correct in the plugin settings.

Sometimes hosting providers or email clients filter out automated messages. If that’s an issue, you can add a plugin like WP Mail SMTP to improve email deliverability.

Contact Us Templates That Work

The perfect Contact Us page gives visitors the sense that you’re approachable. It doesn’t need to be fancy.

Here’s a Contact Us page from Swab the World. See how it reminds the visitor to share a note and they’ll be reading it all?

That’s pretty much all you need. A line or two to help the reader know there’s someone who will read their message.

Here are a few ideas you can adapt:

• Friendly: “We’re here to help. Send us your questions, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.”
• Business-like: “Have questions about our services? Please fill out the form below, and we’ll respond promptly.”
• Warm and personal: “Drop us a line if you need anything at all. We love hearing from you and will do our best to assist.”

If you have a dedicated support team, you can even mention their usual response time to set expectations.

Pro Tips To Optimize Your Contact Form

Adding a form is the first step. Optimizing it can increase the number of useful leads and reduce spam or confusion. Here are a few suggestions to consider:

Focus on Mobile Users

Plenty of people browse on their phones these days. The form should look neat on smaller screens.

WPForms and other modern builders create forms that automatically adjust, but you can still preview them on a phone or tablet.

Make sure the text is large enough, and the buttons are easy to tap.

Filter Spam With CAPTCHA and Akismet

Spam submissions are annoying. CAPTCHAs test whether a visitor is a real person, while tools like Akismet scan messages for suspicious phrases.

Combine both if you notice a spike in unwanted submissions. This approach frees your inbox of nonsense.

Keep Only What You Need

Overly complicated forms scare people away. If you only need a name and email address, stick to those fields. If you must have a phone number or shipping address, add them.

Just remember that the more fields you include, the less likely people are to fill them out.

Offer a Clear Confirmation

When visitors click “Submit,” they want a sign that the message went through. That can be as simple as “Thanks for contacting us!”

You could also use the confirmation page to direct them to common questions or a link to your blog for more reading.

Let that be a smooth transition rather than a dead end.

Track Form Submissions

Form submissions might be a key part of your marketing or customer support workflow. Tracking them can show how well your site is doing. Google Analytics or a specialized plugin can log each submission, giving you a way to measure conversion rates.

If you learn that only a few people submit the form per month, you might test changes to the form fields, your calls-to-action, or your page design.

Ready To Get Visitors To Reach You?

Each time you make your site easier to use, you improve your connection with visitors. A WordPress contact form is an easy win because it creates a clear path for questions, leads, or support requests.

You can install a simple plugin, create fields that fit your business, and post it on your site without editing code.

But why stop at just adding a contact form? With the right tools, you can take your site to the next level.

At DreamHost, our mission is to make your site management as simple and seamless as possible. That’s why we offer WordPress hosting designed specifically for WordPress users. Check out our DreamPress-managed WordPress hosting plans to learn more!

WordPress Hosting

Optimize Your Business with DreamPress

Our automatic updates and strong security defenses take server management off your hands so you can focus on your customers.

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